Chaubrey: the Prompts
by blackindiaink
Summary: Series of Chaubrey one shots from prompts.
1. The Ride is Worth It

"No way," Chloe says. Her laugh is a clear sign of how ridiculous she finds the suggestion.

Aubrey leans against the motorcycle, it's slick, blue surface reflects the sun's rays and her hopes. She holds out the helmet again and smiles. It's the smile that Chloe can't ever turn away from. Resistance if futile. "Come on, Chlo." She pats the seat of the bike and lets her hand slide down the black surface.

Chloe sucks in a deep breath and considers. Her fear of crashing and dying is multiplied by fear for Aubry's safety as well. "If something happens," she starts.

"Nothing is going to happen," Aubrey promises and stands straight, walking towards Chloe. "We are both going to be fine." Her hands find Chloe's and squeeze.

"Maybe," Chloe stalls but she's giving in and she knows it. Even if she doesn't go Aubrey is going to ride the bike without her. "I'm regretting bringing you out here now," she says. Her smile softens the words.

"No, you're regretting indulging my need for speed," Aubrey replies. Two of her fingers raise Chloe's chin. "We don't have to," she brings her lips within inches of Chloe's. "But I want to show you what it's like, why I love it so much."

Chloe's breath is gone. The intent in the green eyes and the thrill that runs through her seeing excitement there. There is always an intensity to Aubrey but right now it's sitting at a different level. A mix of sexual energy and danger. The combination of which traps her and makes her agree. She takes the helmet from Aubrey and slips it on. It's kind of big but Aubrey fixes it so it's more comfortable.

Aubrey looks back with a wide, glinting smile. "Are you ready?" The confidence of the words and the audacity of the eyebrow raise puts Chloe at ease but that's gone when Aubrey's face is obscured by the helmet she slides on. The nerves mix and mingle in her stomach, making it feel like a million little wind up toys going wild. She trusts Aubrey, she reminds herself, and closes her eyes to count down from ten. It's how she calms herself before going on stage.

When she opens them Aubrey is lifting her leg and slides onto the bike seat, adjusting her bottom so that she's high enough for Chloe to get on behind her. Her eyes raise to the offered hand. She bites her lip and takes it, hopping on behind and wrapping her arms around hands slide just underneath Aubrey's shirt and her fingers flex against her abdomen. The contact helps but her heart lurches when Aubrey starts the bike, the motor jumping to life and the sound making her ears ring.

With one glance backwards Aubrey let's go of the brake, hits the gas, and slowly takes the curve in front of them. Chloe hangs on just a little tighter and prays that they are going to arrive in two pieces, three if you count the bike because it's her Dad's and he'd be hella pissed if they wrecked it.

She bites her lip and decides it's okay because at least they're getting along. Bringing your lesbian lover home to meet the parents is always kind of hit or miss, especially when they had no idea you were gay in the first place.

She shrieks when they speed up and take another turn, but she can feel Aubrey's muscles tighten and release under her hands and she starts to realize that she's a little turned on by this. Aubrey, confident and authoritative is always a hot, but this edge of adrenaline pumping trepidation is making it exhilarating. Now, she knows what they're going to be doing when they get home… if they can ditch her parents that is.


	2. Fireworks At Stars and Strikes

A/N: Anon Prompt on Tumblr: Chaubrey prompt. Bowling trip, Aubrey is useless and Chloe tries to make her feel better about it. So, I might have taken this a little farther than the prompt but I couldn't stop myself. I hope you enjoy.

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Distressed didn't begin to cover Aubrey's current state. She was pissed, that was an understatement but closer to accurate. Her beautifully planned group outing was dismissed, forgotten, and generally scorned in favor of bowling. When she had suggested that they do some group bonding she could have never known how badly it would backfire. By now the Bellas, and especially Chloe, were well acquainted with her propensity to propose things with no intention of actually accepting input. So, as soon as it came out of her mouth the idea had been taken over before her plan could even be mentioned.

She blamed Chloe. As co-captain she was the only one who was privy to Aubrey's plans and the way Fat Amy had jumped on her before she had finished the sentence suggested prior knowledge of what she was going to say. Just as she suspected, her survey of the group afterwards led her straight back to Chloe. Retribution was coming swiftly because even though she had been hefting around an Olympic torch type flame for her best friend for years now, it didn't put her above being punished for her crimes against the state of Aubrey.

However, here she was at Stars and Strikes handing over her credit card to buy them all a night of bonding fun. Behind her Chloe was chatting with Beca about playing laser tag later and Aubrey nearly brightened at the prospect of being able to shoot the hell out of her comrades for putting her this position because it was at that moment that the guy behind the counter set down a pair of size seven neon bowling shoes that had clearly seen better days. She huffed and grabbed them, tapping Chloe on the back to indicate that she should move down, and proceeded to get out her disinfectant spray and give the inside of the shoes a good coating in full view of everyone. She didn't care if it was insulting to the employees because they probably didn't really go through great pains to clean these shoes anyway.

She looked up to see the girls staring at her and she grimaced at the scrutiny. "What?" Her eyes followed each girl's expression until she came to Chloe whose arched eyebrow and bemused smile made her all the more grumpy. "These things are gross and don't think I'm letting you guys borrow this," She held up the can for them to see. "Because you chose your own fate and it's not my fault if you end up with a foot fungus." She pointedly stared at Fat Amy who had already made a comment about forgetting to wear socks. "Especially you."

Amy looked genuinely taken aback. "Foot fungus is nothing, try sharing a shower with five brothers and two dads," she shot back.

Aubrey ignored her and beat a path straight to the lanes assigned to them. She needed to pick a ball and get in the zone. Past bowling trips with family had proved her skills less than adequate and she was going to need all the prep time she could muster. Chloe grabbed her own shoes and followed, not waiting for the others. She caught up with Aubrey and sat down to change her shoes. She casually waited until the time was right to talk. One had to know how to handle Aubrey and over the four years they had been roommates and friends she had used her considerable social aptitude to figure out the winding ways of her best friend's mind. "Aubrey," she said and let the summons stay there between them for a few moments before continuing. "What's wrong? This should be fun. You love it when we do things like this."

Aubrey didn't look up from the shelf of multi-colored balls she was currently surveying. It was true, she usually loved when they did anything resembling physical activity or sports but this sport, if it could be called that, was her achilles heel. She took pleasure in making Chloe wait for her answer. The sense of power gratified her even if she was ashamed to indulge in it because Chloe was the only one who really cared enough to ask and mean it.

"It's fine. Nothing's wrong," she said. The ball she picked up was perfectly weighted for her and it was pink, that was a plus. She put both hands under it as she carried it over to the ball return and sat it down. Chloe was still watching her. "Really, Chloe." It only made the doubt more apparent. If those bright blues kept boring holes into her she would cave, like always, so she looked away and kept herself busy by setting up their names in the computer.

Before Chloe could say anything else the rest of the Bellas joined them, having been by the bar. Aubrey rolled her eyes and decided to let it pass. She would never convince them not to drink. She had learned as much from hood night and the sleepover that she and Chloe had hosted. They made full use of the fake IDs that Stacie and Amy had managed to procure. Not that Stacie wasn't skilled at getting what she wanted from a bartender without the barely passable fake.

"Alright, guys," she said. They all kept chatting and laughing. Jessica intent on listening to Cynthia Rose and Denise tell a story about the recent frat party they had been to together. Aubrey's clap rang through the immediate vicinity, drawing stares from the other lanes. If she was going to suffer through this it would be for the shortest amount of time possible. "Shut up, aca-ladies," she demanded. Everyone dutifully gave her their full attention, knowing that far worse would come if they didn't.

"I've divided us into teams because a little friendly competition is always good to promote a sense of teamwork." She pointed at the screen. "So everyone take note of which lane you are on and who is on your team. I've divided you up according to athletic skill."

Beca's scoff came clear from her seat behind Chloe. Aubrey's attention was drawn straight to her. Just as with everything else her sarcastic attitude was beginning to wear on the last live wire nerve she had left. She was about to create an electrical storm. "Is there a problem, Beca?" Her voice was oh so sweet but her eyes were cold, green stones staring hard at the girl who was constantly challenging her.

"No, I just think it's funny that you put you and Chloe on the same team." She smiled and tilted her head. "Considering you're the only ones that actually take the cardio seriously," she finished, her air quotes on the word cardio making Aubrey's jaw clench.

This girl, who was obviously after Chloe and who was nothing but a pain in her ass could get her angry faster than anyone she had ever met. It probably had a lot to do with that first part but still. By now all the Bellas were giving her and each other concerned looks and talking amongst themselves about the fairness of the team split.

"Yeah, as co-captains shouldn't you be leading the teams?" Stacie asked.

Aubrey gathered herself, straightening her back and taking a deep breath. She was not going to let her feelings show. "I think you'll see once we actually start playing that putting me on Chloe's team is more than fair" The truth was that she was terrible at bowling and had always been. It was something she had been made to feel awful about. Being berated -good naturedly in his mind- by her father for her failure to master a sport that he considered barely athletic made it a sore point.

Beca shrugged and bent down to tug on the laces of her shoes. "Whatever," she muttered and let it drop. Seemingly content to drop her argument with Aubrey before Chloe had to step in.

"Let's just do this," Aubrey said and turned to sit at in front of the others at the screen where she had entered the names. "Jessica and Amy, you're up." She sat tapping her fingers against the dingy, white surface. Each tap making her feel a little less anxiety. Chloe's hand fell over hers, pressing her fingers down and stopping the tap, tap of her nervous tick.

"It's okay," Chloe said.

Aubrey made the mistake of looking into the smile that had the power to crush her. "What do you mean?" She snapped. Unintentional rudeness was still rude so she tried to put herself aside for a moment. She couldn't keep pushing Chloe away on principle because eventually she would stop coming back. "I'm sorry," shes said. Her eyes were glued to the hand that was still on top of hers and she watched as Chloe's fingers closed around her own. It meant something different to her. She desperately wanted it to come from a different place but friendly affection was what she was doomed to receive.

"It's okay," Chloe answered. She didn't move her hand, knowing that it helped Aubrey relax and because pulling away would send the message that it wasn't really okay. "What has you upset? You know we don't care if you suck at bowling. It's really not a big deal. We're just here to have fun."

Posens didn't play to have fun, they played to win. There was no reason to speak the familial platitude aloud. "It isn't that I suck at it." She looked up to Chloe's concerned gaze. "It's even worse than that. I'm impossibly terrible at it." Her free hand played with the hem of her t-shirt. "When I was little my brother would always have his birthday parties at the bowling alley and I hated it because I was so bad at it and they would make fun of me. He and my Dad would just gang up and taunt me." Her Pavlovian response to bowling was embarrassing enough without having to reveal it to the object of her affections. Everything that made her a worthy partner was tied up in what she could offer and how she could impress. It never occurred to her that she didn't have to be good at everything, or that Chloe might like her for the things she wasn't good at even more.

Weakness was not tolerated. Even if she knew Chloe could care less if she could bowl, she still wanted to impress her. Jessica and Amy finished up their rounds and the next two went. Aubrey steeled herself, knowing that she was next. Beca walked past them and made a face. Aubrey traced her eye line straight to where Chloe still held her hand. Inside her head she crowed with happiness but her inner celebration was cut short when Beca sized up her pins, walked calmly down to the beginning of the lane, and expertly rolled her ball right into a perfect strike. Her stomach sank and she bit the inside of her cheek. This was going to be a long and torturous night.

"I'm sure you're way better than you think," Chloe said and let go of her hand when she stood up to grab her ball.

Her dubious glance only spurred Chloe on. "Seriously, you'll be great. Now, go get 'em." Her cheerful tone and encouragement only made Aubrey feel more trepidation for what was to come. She stepped up to the wood floor and settled the ball in her right hand. It was heavier than she remembered. Her dry throat was uncomfortable and she tried to clear it, sandpaper textured surfaces grinding against each other.

One foot after another she strode up to the line, her arm pulled back at the right moment and she released the ball. It felt good, maybe Chloe's words were enough to coax out some modecrum of latent talent. She smiled and watched. The ball rolled on target for a few seconds before swiftly veering to the side and into the gutter. Her face fell and her shoulders slumped. She had done everything right but to no avail. For some reason she couldn't find the point at which her mechanics went bad.

Chloe caught her eye from where she sat and smiled. Aubrey swiftly turned away and collected her ball when it came back up. Gripping it harder, so that her knuckles were white, she exhaled sharply and went again, hoping that by not thinking about it she would do something right. It was the opposite of the way she approached everything else so maybe it was the answer to her bowling conundrum.

The ball started off rolling right between the center arrow and the one directly to the right but once again a quarter of the way down it swerved and clanked into the gutter, this time creating a noise that made all of the Bellas cringe. "Damn," she muttered. Her stride contained the coiled anger of failure. She sat down again, ignoring Chloe's presence beside her. She could feel the pity rolling towards her from all quarters.

She was relieved when Chloe stood up to take her turn. Her thoughts turned to a slightly more pleasant arena when she watched Chloe down seven of her pins. The grace of her movements made Aubrey burn inside. She wondered how it would be to see that grace in a more intimate setting. Athleticism was something to be admired and because of Chloe's unabashed nature she had seen all that there was to see. She could attest to the toned body and tight muscles. The meandering path her brain was now on was starting to be dangerous so she stepped back from it and tried not to stare when Chloe returned to her seat beside Aubrey.

She didn't notice Beca watching her watch Chloe from the seats to the left of the console. The other girls were loudly trading taunts about who was going to win but all Aubrey could think about was her next turn. "Good job," she said. Chloe offered her hand for a high five and Aubrey slapped hers into it, the action making her smile the tiniest bit.

Denise and Cynthia Rose were up next, each of them doing decidedly better than Aubrey, producing only one gutterball between them. Aubrey sighed because she knew her turn was nearing again. Her frustration was out of proportion with the situation and she didn't want to look like a freak in front of the other girls. It was hard enough to make them listen to her. If she let a chink in her armor show she might lose their fear and respect, more the former.

She rolled her shoulders as a little pre-bowling warm up and walked up to the ball return. She picked up the heavy pink mass of an enemy and walked towards the lane, taking in a deep breath. Her hand uncurled and she released the ball to watch it fly down, bouncing on the lane and then right into the one next to them where it collided with Stacie's ball, both of which skittered into the gutter and rolled out of sight.

Her eyes widened and she stared at the balls as they disappeared. Her arms hung uselessly at her sides and she stared at her shoes, the bright green and yellow mocking her from below. A gentle hand wrapped around her arm and tugged her back towards the seating area.

"It's okay," Chloe said.

She pulled Aubrey down into the chair and sat next to her. "Listen, it's not a big deal,"

Aubrey barely heard the words just the tittering of laugher around her but it stopped suddenly and she looked up seeing Chloe giving all the other Bellas a stern glare. This is exactly the horrible scenario that she had envisioned. At least Chloe wasn't laughing at her. That would have been too much to take. She felt the contents of her stomach gurgle and she placed a hand on her chest.

"Come on," she said. When Aubrey didn't follow Chloe grabbed her. "You've got one more turn."

Chloe stopped as soon as she stepped up onto the wood floor. She picked up Aubrey's ball and handed it to her. "Now, make sure your grip is like this," she said. Her fingers deftly adjusted Aubrey's hand exactly how it needed to be. "Okay, now," she started and pulled Aubrey a couple of feet from the line. "Look at that middle arrow and follow it with your eyes until you see the pins." When Aubrey didn't move she stepped behind her and wrapped her arms around so they were on Aubrey's wrists.

Aubrey stiffened. It had been a long time since they were close like this. Occasionally, they would cuddle a little while watching movies or Chloe would initiate little touches here and there. It was just the way she was. They were opposites. Aubrey grew up conditioned to feel that physical affection was reserved for times of distress or great joy and even then kept at a minimum.

There was this grudging part of her that wanted to step away and push Chloe back but the bigger part of her needed to feel the closeness and have people see that she was worth caring about. Chloe's face came to hover beside hers and warm breath brushed by Aubrey's face as soft words of encouragement made their way to her ears.

Aubrey tried to focus on what she was saying but the smell of Chloe's perfume and the tingles caused by her hands sliding down Aubrey's arms was muting her mental capacity. She could barely do anything but experience the sensations and nod every once in awhile so Chloe would know she was still paying attention.

Then, there was cool air where Chloe's body had been and she felt a calm wash over her. Chloe's words came back to her as she took a step toward the line and let the ball roll. It went a little faster and a little straighter than before. She resisted the urge to get excited just yet and in slow motion it hit the pin to the right of center and every single one of them fell.

She raised her arms in victory and turned. Chloe's arms surrounded her and in a joyous hug they bounced up and down together. The other girls joining them to congratulate their captain. "Oh my god! Chloe, that was so awesome, thank you."

Chloe winked and released Aubrey so they could walk back to their seats. "I didn't do anything. That was all you." She put her hand on the back of Aubrey's swivel chair and the other patted her on the shoulder. "I'm getting you a drink," she said. Aubrey raised a hand in protest but she was too late, Chloe was already on her way to the bar.

From then on she did better. It wasn't like the ending of a cheesy sports movie where she won the gold, triumphed in the big game, or was miraculously able to defeat her arch rival after a three minute montage set to a 80's classic but she did manage to hit more pins than not. Her only gutter ball came on the next turn, which took her off of her post strike high but with a little more coaching from Chloe she got back on track and only finished next to last. Chloe and Beca tied for first and Amy was right behind them. It was a good finish for everyone.

After the last frame Aubrey stood grinning at her score, the best she had ever gotten and it was all thanks to Chloe. She finished the last of her drink and set the glass aside for a waitress to take.

Chloe pressed a hand into her arm as she walked by. "I'm going to hit the bathroom and then we can go, yeah?"

Aubrey nodded and watched her go, a brilliant smile blossoming on her face. She sighed happily and with one rub on it's shiny surface, she replaced her ball in the holder and went to return her shoes. The guy behind the counter gave her a sardonic look and picked up the shoes between two fingers letting them hang in the air as if they were polluted. She shook her head, unwilling to let him ruin her first semi-positive experience with bowling.

She checked her phone for the time. The seven-thirty class she had in the morning was kind of important so she wanted to get home at a decent hour and it was already ten. After she had double checked that she had everything and triple checked the time on her phone, she went in search of Chloe.

The entrance to the bathroom was a division of walls that one had to navigate in an S-shape before getting to the part of the room with the stalls. She stopped after getting to the middle curve of the S. Voices drifted to her from deeper inside the bathroom. She briefly considered going back the way she came but she heard Beca's next words and stopped.

"So, you and Aubrey? I was kind of hoping..." Beca's sigh was monumental. "I don't know what I was hoping."

Aubrey's chest tightened at the words. Her mind raced to all the possible answers and what it meant that Beca had just about declared her feelings for Chloe.

"There's nothing going on between me and Aubrey and what about Jesse? You guys seem pretty cozy," Chloe said.

Aubrey's heart sank straight down to her knees.

"I'm not interested in Jesse. He's just a friend. I know he likes me as more than that but there's nothing there. Not like you and me."

It was Chloe's turn to sigh. Aubrey could hear the rare sadness in her voice. "I'd be lying if I said that I didn't have feelings for Aubrey but we're best friends and ruining that right now might be a monumentally bad idea. I don't even think that she feels the same way."

Beca's harsh laugh rang off the tiles and gave Aubrey pause. "Are you kidding Chloe or are you just freaking blind?" The sound of Beca's voice got a little closer and Aubrey started to panic. "Do you not see the way she looks at you and the way how different she is when you're the one she's focused on?"

"Beca, I'm done talking about this." Chloe's footsteps came closer to Aubrey and she started to back up frantically. "I need to go home and I know Aubrey had a early class."

Aubrey had rushed a decent distance away at that point. Far enough to avert suspicion that she had heard anything that had just been said. When she saw Chloe and the grim set of her features she frowned. "Everything okay?" Chloe erased her expression like an etch-a-sketch after it had been shaken and plastered on a smile.

"Yeah, everything's great. Let's go home, huh?"

Beca walked past them to join the other girls and after short goodbyes Aubrey and Chloe left them to their laser tag. They walked silently out of the building and over to Aubrey's car. Once they were inside she started to buckle her seatbelt but stopped.

"Chloe, are you sure you're okay?" She was hoping that Chloe would just come clean and save her the embarrassment of telling her that she had been eavesdropping because there was no way she was going to let the opportunity pass now. She had been waiting too long for a sign.

"I'm fine," Chloe said shortly and cleared her throat. "Are we going?"

Aubrey let another moment pass with the possibility in the air before she started the car and put it in drive. Her heart was pounding and her throat was completely dry. This was ridiculous. If she didn't take the chance now she might chicken out. She took three quick breaths and put the car back in park.

"No, we're not going yet because I have to tell you something."

Before Aubrey could even open her mouth again Chloe cut her off. "Seriously, can we please go home. I don't want..."

"I love you." Aubrey's eyes widened and her mouth opened and closed and she started at Chloe. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean."

Chloe's lips stopped her from explaining. It was quick but soft. The contact took her by surprise and kept her from fully enjoying the kiss but when they pulled back she saw the grin on Chloe's face and the affection in her eyes. "I thought you were never going to say it." Her head shook as she thought over the times she had doubted their feelings. "I've been waiting a whole year."

"Wha," Aubrey started. "Why didn't you say anything." If Chloe had spoken up they would have back a lot of wasted time. She felt slightly irked at the realization that she could have been kissing Chloe all that time.

Chloe laughed softly and tsked. "Because I knew you would find some way to talk yourself out of it. It had to come from you, and I wasn't exactly a hundred percent sure about your feelings." Her hands gripped Aubrey's, squeezing before she let go again. "You're a mystery sometimes, Posen."

That was when she knew that she needed to let the past go and be here with Chloe now. That's all she really wanted. "Well, now you know," she said. She needed to feel the reality of their feelings again. Her hands cupped Chloe's cheeks and she leaned across for a long soft kiss, taking time to experience the feeling so she would never forget it. The moment that all her negative associations with bowling were blown away and in their place was the feeling of mutual love that she would treasure for the rest of her life. Bowling wasn't so bad after all.


	3. Secrets are Poisonous

**A/N: Written from a Tumblr prompt, "Chaubrey fic based on 'Secret' by Missy Higgins?" I'm going to get to them all. I promise guys. Just be patient with me. There's a little tidbit of a shout out to Jack E. Peace aka ourplaceonthepathunwinding. You, are my fic-spiration and constant bolsterer of writing confidence. 3**

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We keep the photo album under the bed. The one that's a little too intimate to be seen by anyone but us. It's not dirty or anything, just pictures of us that are more couple-like. We hide it because no one can know. A secret is like a virus. Once it slips its way out the words propagate and cause destruction to all its hosts.

One year after confessions of love, we were together, as together as individuals can be. Closer than two separate people. There were parts of us that became cracks but they have only recently begun to appear, prematurely in my mind but I can see them. Chloe tries to ignore it but in the deep, dark moments when she gets so angry at me that she can't do anything but be quiet she admits it to herself. We just never talked about it because that meant it was real and there was danger.

"I'm sure they're okay with this sort of thing in Massachusetts but if you grew up in my family you would understand." I was throwing the difference in our upbringing in her face once again but to be fair conservative Southern Republicans parents weren't usually just okay with their daughters bringing home a woman, especially my father.

I yelled the words, and I could see the exact moment that they exploded in her chest like a well aimed arrow. She has been more than understanding on the subject for our entire relationship. When we first started it I told her that I wasn't okay with being out. We were going to have to keep it quiet but I don't think she really understood the enormity of what I was asking. I didn't want anyone to know. None of our friends, no random strangers, not a living soul.

Any leak of information could end up getting back to the wrong person, my father or my mother in particular. She was reluctant but agreed and at first it wasn't so hard. It was fun to have a secret until she realized that it wasn't so fun to have to think about how you touched and she was never good at thinking before she spoke the small words of affection that just fall out when you're in love.

I was excellent at it. Twenty-one years of practice served me well. Hiding what was really going on inside was second nature. A well constructed facade was important when you were a member of my family. I knew what I was asking of Chloe but it never occurred to me that I was being selfish. Even when I got jealous and was a cold to her for days, it never made it's way through to my conscious thoughts.

I was just so wrapped up in what people would think, what my father would do and say, that I smothered her feelings with my own. Essentially, I was killing her spirit, what I loved most about her. The brightness with which she burned and how the air around her hummed with energy. I found it oddly comforting. The safety that her nearness created was what I took for granted to most.

"That's ridiculous, Aubrey," Chloe said.

I watched Chloe pace across the room. When she was upset but couldn't think of what to say she just walked somewhere. It didn't even matter if it was across the room and back.

"I've think I've been really good about this." Her gaze cut me like she intended. "I didn't even tell my mother and I tell her everything."

It was true and even though there was very little chance that Chloe's mom would ever tell anyone about us and despite the fact that she lived thousands of miles away from my parents, I stood my ground.

"This is killing me," she moaned.

Her head was in her hands now. I had reduced this vibrant girl to a subdued and muzzled version of herself. Now, I knew my crime but stubborn pride kept me from giving up my misguided paranoia.

"It didn't seem to be killing you when you were flirting with Beca yesterday at practice."

Her hands drop and the cold, incredulous stare is enough for me to know that I've hit her breaking point.

"I was not flirting with Beca," she said. "And even if I was it was only because I can't flirt with my _girlfriend_." The words were like a glacier sliding over my consciousness. "I can't touch you, or talk to you like we're anything other than friends, and I certainly can't kiss you." She was standing in front of me now. "You do not understand how much it hurts when you treat me like I don't mean anything to you."

I started until the image of her shoes in front of me began to dissolve into nothing but a blur. Even though she was mad she reached out and I just ignored her, unwilling to break and let everything out yet.

It was wrong, all wrong, because she turned away and went to the door. I heard the jingle of her keys as she picked them up off the end table, a real world notification of the error I had committed.

"I can't do this anymore," she said.

The door closed with a quiet click of finality. Her decision wasn't hasty, it something that had been coming. It was my wake up call. I just wish that it had come in another form because my nature told me that I didn't need anyone but my heart emptying of it's contents told me that I wanted her more than need described.

Minutes of millions of thoughts occupied me because I didn't make half-cocked decisions. I was a careful planner. It wasn't a characteristic that was detrimental until now. What I realized was that I hadn't had a real plan about how to deal with this situation all along. I had assumed that we would go on like this indefinitely. It was the one time I refused to let myself look ahead. Now that I was, I knew that losing Chloe, to satisfy my unwillingness to bring judgement down upon us was my biggest mistake so far. This meant I didn't deserve her. So, I let her go.

* * *

Hours, days, a week later and it was still the same. She hadn't come home and I took out the photo album. I caressed the photo where our lips touched, but Chloe's eyes were on the camera because one of us else had to take the picture. I put the pad of my thumb over my face and just looked at Chloe. If I could have done that in real life, maybe she would still be here.

One wet drop hit the protective plastic, right on top of the red waves of her hair. Even though she was gone I was still raining on Chloe. I had never known this feeling, an empty can being kicked over and over. A self-inflicted wound of grievous concern only to me and with the worst prognosis imaginable. Loneliness was my price for pride and fear.

I put the photo album on the bed, no longer concerned if it was put away. I left the apartment for the first time that day. The weekend had been a blessed reprieve from inquiries about my red eyes and devastated countenance. Not even I could fully hide this. It was Monday and that meant going facing the music, was the first day I might see Chloe again but I wasn't sure she would come to Bellas practice.

I squeezed my binder containing all of our upcoming performance info and notes. I picked at the blue plastic as I walked across campus seeing all the places that Chloe and I had spent time. My head felt like lead and I nearly cried again when I passed our secret place by the lake. Chloe had made friends with all the ducks and we always brought them bread. She even named them all. It was so like her and so unlike me to show affection to the little fluffy, feathered beings. She made me love them too.

That's why we were perfect. The balance was one of the first indications that we were more than friends. It evolved into an easy intimacy where she lightened me and I liked to think that I brought a certain amount of pragmatism to her sky high notions about life.

The rehearsal hall was still empty when I got there but I still looked from one wall to another, hoping that Chloe would be there. We used to come ten minutes early together every time. Another indulgence of my compulsions. I always had to be early to everything.

There was no Chloe and my hope, whatever was left of it, was leaving. The girls started to arrive, coming in in drips and drabs. The last was Beca who sat in the back and just stared Aubrey down. She looked away, unwilling to get into any sort of challenging situation with her today. Whatever it was, it couldn't be as important as the tremors of anticipation I was feeling.

I had given up on Chloe showing but my eyes kept straying to the door anyway. I opened my mouth to call the rehearsal to order but Chloe pushed the door open and walked straight to the chairs and sat down. My throat constricted and I swallowed hard to make it feel normal again.

She looked good, just as good as she ever had but her absence made my eyes hungry for her. She never sat with the other girls, she always stood by me so I was thrown off my axis. Words didn't seem to come as freely as they should have.

"Aubrey?"

It was Amy, waking me from my frozen world of regret. "Yeah," I said, recovering from the onslaught of emotion. "Sorry, so we're going to break into groups and work on percussion today." I just wanted to talk to her, right now. "So, you guys just separate up and do.. that." I stopped talking and missed all the weirded out looks thrown my way because I was still staring at her. "Chloe, can I talk to you?"

Beca put her hand on Chloe's arm and gave her a pointed look. That set off some warning bells but Chloe just patted her hand and stood up to walk over to where I was. I chose to let the exchange fall to the back burner and focus on the fact that I had no idea what I was about to say to Chloe.

"I'm sorry." That was the best I could come up with. "I can't stand for things to be like this." I pulled her over behind the whiteboard so no one could hear. "I need you back," I heard myself say. It wasn't planned this begging, but it came from the most true place inside my heart.

She took a deep breath and shook her head. I was afraid she was about to remove my hand from her arm but she didn't. I was thankful for that at least, but I could tell that she was at war. The expressions on her face resembled the changing of the seasons in fast motion. I needed her to settle on the right one. Whatever would make her more receptive to my pleas.

"I don't know," she said. Her eyes closed and she chewed on her lip. Her arms were crossed and I had never felt so much space between us. "I can't do this if we're not going to be honest." She opened her eyes and I saw the determination. This was her ultimatum.

"I can't hide anymore."

My mouth opened and then shut. I couldn't just say it. It was so much more difficult because everything was tied up in ideals that I had held and that had been held up for me since I was little. If anything could make me budge from them it would be this but could I let go and fall?

She was waiting. There were matter revolving around the moments falling with the gravity of my struggle. Telling her and promising her wouldn't be enough. My dad always said, if you're going to do something, go all in. So, I walked out from behind the whiteboard with Chloe following me.

"What are you doing?" She asked. The warning in her voice only made me more certain.

"Ladies," I shouted. Everyone stopped what they were doing and came closer. They all looked on with trepidation. I waited until I knew they were all worried and wondering. "I have an announcement." I folded my hands in front of me and straightened my back. "I'm in love with Chloe and we've been dating for the past year." No preamble, just straight talk. It was the only way I knew to do it.

Jaws dropped, exclamations were heard and I felt my fingers being unraveled from each other. Chloe took my hand and smiled at me, her eyes brimming with the unshed tears of happiness. "Like that?" I asked.

"Yeah, like that," she replied.

We would figure everything else out later.


	4. Fear As the Great Motivator

**A/N: This turned into a bit of an ordeal. Thus, it took two days instead of one. Thanks to Jack E. Peace for the little things here and there. Your input is invaluable. Prompt: **

**Chloe just went to a scary movie with friends and is convinced that the apartment she shared with Aubrey is haunted. She spends the next few days reading up on rituals to speak to the spirits and sneaking into Aubreys bed in the middle of the night. She pulls out a ouija board one night despite Aubrey's protests and makes her join in. Aubrey moves it around to mess with Chloe scaring the girl which causes Aubrey to laugh and accidentally admit her feelings.**

* * *

The cold breath of paranoia chilled her mind until every sound, every movement in her periphery seemed to herald a potentially violent end. The leaves rustled around her feet, making her walk faster. Beca had convinced her and a few of the other girls to go to the Halloween horror movie marathon at the dollar theater and she was now regretting the decision. She was already prone to wild imaginings and adding the fear of imagined psychopaths to that was a mixture that didn't sit well with her nervous system.

When Beca had pronounced to them that the only movie genre that she enjoyed was horror Chloe had laughed. It made sense. She wouldn't have agreed to go but after graduating she rarely saw the girls from the Bellas anymore. Without practices there just weren't that many places that their paths would naturally cross. Therefore, when Beca had suggested the get together she had agreed to go.

She pulled her jacket closer around her and shivered. The temperature was mild enough but she felt chilled. Someone had taken her parking spot, forcing her to park further away from her apartment building than she would normally. As soon as she reached the sidewalk she cut straight across the grass. The most direct path to the apartment that she and Aubrey shared was right through the darkened pool area.

The shadows that lurked there deterred her but not enough to give up the advantage of the shorter distance. The quicker she made her way across, the faster she would be safe and warm inside their apartment and everything would feel normal again. She could see the side of their building from here but with all of the space between it seemed farther away than ever and there were so many places that someone could hide along the path.

She stepped on a collection of twigs and they snapped, giving her heart a jolt of panic. She didn't stop moving. Past the pool house, across the tennis court, and around the side of the building and she would make it. When her feet hit the green surface of the court she jogged across and went through the open chain link gate. When she got to the grass she looked back and saw only darkness and leaves wavering in the breeze.

She turned back and kept walking quickly toward the corner of the building. When she got to the sidewalk a small smile tugged at her lips. She was almost home. The sound of a car starting masked the footsteps at first but after she heard them. Steady beats in between her own. Her eyes darted to the side but she didn't turn around, only walked faster, her pace almost at a jog again. The footsteps sped up to match her own, or was that in her mind.

She rounded the corner of her building and saw the light glowing in the stairwell. The slap of the footsteps behind her continued to close. Her eyes widened and she took off at a run, all the way into the lit area in front of the downstairs apartments and up the stairs, her feet taking them so quickly that she nearly missed one. When she reached the balcony overlooking the complex she edged near the railing and peeked over. A little old man walking his poodle passed by below, surely the source of the earlier footsteps.

She backed away from the edge of the balcony and walked the five feet to her door. It was a relief to see a light in the window and their plain old doormat with three little duckies on it. She had picked it out at the store, despite Aubrey's obvious disdain of the cutesy motif. It made her smile. She was just being silly. There was no crazy serial killer or murderous ghost after her, it was just her very active imagination.

Yet, her hands shook a little when she opened the door, remembering a scene in the last film they watched where the main character unlocked and opened a door just like this and on the other side was a maniac with a knife waiting for her. She let her hands drop and sighed. This wasn't going to work. She needed to calm herself down. The only person in her apartment was her best friend and Aubrey might be a little uptight and she might yell from time to time but she was definitely not scary, at least not to Chloe.

She actually might be the only person who saw the sweet and generous side of Aubrey that seemed to only come out when she was around. She was beginning to relax so she tried to open the door again, this time successfully. When she got inside she found Aubrey at the kitchen table with an assortment of textbooks opened in front of her.

She had a system, which amused Chloe to no end. She studied each subject for twenty minutes before switching to another. Going counter clockwise around the table until she repeated the cycle. It was amazing and so very Aubrey. She took in the sight of her best friend glasses sliding down her nose, engrossed in what looked to be her Immunology book. She had two different colored highlighters in one hand and a pen in the other.

Chloe dropped her keys into her purse and set it on the entryway table, grinning at Aubrey's studious state. "Did you even notice me come in?" She asked. She walked past the table on her way to the fridge, patting Aubrey's head and narrowly avoiding getting her hand smacked. She opened the fridge and looked in, with no real intention of getting anything out. Fearing another lecture from Aubrey on wasting energy, she grabbed a bottle of water and shut the door.

Aubrey didn't even look up when she waved her hand in Chloe's general direction, knowing that the pat of affection was merely an attempt to make her pay attention to her roommate instead of her books. "Of course, I did," she said. Her glasses slid a little lower down her nose and she pushed them up with one hand and flipped the page with the other. "I simply chose to ignore you because I have a test tomorrow morning."

Her voice trailed off getting softer and more muffled as she got lost in the text again. She put pink highlighter to the page and drew it across a sentence. Chloe sat down, rocking the table and making Aubrey's hand slip, her highlighter trailing off the page and onto her notebook.

"Chloe!" Aubrey looked up over the rim of her black framed glasses and glared. "Seriously?" She rubbed the mark on her notebook but the highlighter had dried on the faux leather cover. "I'm trying to fit all of this crap into my head and you're not helping. You should be more careful."

Chloe's grin widened. Aubrey always got extra grouchy around test days as she was well aware. She even liked to egg her on a little from time to time, comforting herself with the assumption that she was providing Aubrey with a chance to loosen up a little. "Sorry," she said. Aubrey simply raised an eyebrow at her, clearly unconvinced of her contrition, and returned to her book.

"How were the movies anyway," Aubrey inquired.

Chloe shuddered and grimaced. "Scary," she said. "Remind me never to do that again. Three horror movies in one sitting is so too much to handle." She pulled her chair closer to the table, bumping it again but Aubrey was prepared. She didn't even look up this time.

"I told you not to go," Aubrey said. She knew exactly what was going to happen. Anytime Chloe watched a horror movie, she always ended up being weird and scared for days. "You're not going to be able to sleep tonight."

Chloe bit her lip and released it, her lips sliding up into a grin. "I will if you let me get in bed with you," she ventured. That got her attention.

Aubrey's head snapped up, her hand instinctively pushing at her glasses again. "That's not a good idea," Aubrey said.

It happened more often than not. Chloe always slept better with someone else there, especially Aubrey. Over the years they had learned each other's ins and outs, developing an intimacy that spilled over lines and boundaries. It didn't even occur to Chloe that it might be less than normal friend behavior or that it might make the long buried feelings that Aubrey had for her flare to an uncomfortable temperature. She was blissfully unaware of the mess that she made of her best friend every time she crept into the room and slipped her arms around her.

"I've got a test tomorrow morning, remember?" She flicked her gaze over Chloe's face, which fell at her tone. "I need to get some sleep." It didn't matter that Chloe being there would actually make her fall asleep faster, or that she never managed to sleep through the night if she was alone. What mattered, was that she had promised herself that she wasn't going to let it happen anymore. She would miss the feeling of Chloe beiside her dearly, but it was time to move on and try to reach a point where she was free of the strings that bound her too close They were strangling her ability to have a relationship with anyone else.

She needed to pull back before irreparable damage was done to her heart. It was already riddled with cracks from all the times when she had selfishly indulged in the little displays of affection that blurred their relationship. Still, Chloe's expression convinced her that just this one last time would be okay. Her blue eyes were wide and vulnerable, her lips were on the verge of a pout, and her shoulders were slumped.

"Please, Bree," she said She could see that she was wearing Aubrey down. It always worked this way if she approached the subject from the right angle. It was a valuable asset. Her charm and sincerity always seemed to win over people but Aubrey was especially susceptible to it and she had never really figured out why. She just enjoyed reaping the benefits, within reason. Exploiting it to often or taking it too far was always a fear she held because she loved Aubrey dearly, more than anyone else.

"If you just give in now, I won't have to sneak in and wake you up." She let her lips poke out in a full pout and leaned forward just a little. Aubrey blinked slowly and sighed under the heavy burden of her feelings. Maybe she was right. The excuse of getting plenty of sleep the night before her test was flimsy at best considering the evidence.

"Fine," she said.

Chloe clapped and her face altered instantly to show the joy she felt at emerging victorious from a fight she had won the moment she stepped into the room. "Great," she said, standing and pushing the chair back under the table. I'm going to go shower and get ready for bed." With one lingering glance at the adorable that was study time Aubrey, she turned away. "Don't stay up too late, you know what happens if I fall asleep first."

"Yeah, you hog the entire bed and I can't wake you up! I swear this time I'll just push you off and into the floor so you better not fall asleep." Aubrey watched her go into her bedroom and then her eyes fell to the bottle of water Chloe had liberated from the fridge earlier. "Chloe, damnit." She knew it was useless so she grabbed the bottle, twisted the cap off, and took a long gulp. There were just some things that she couldn't change about her best friend and maybe that was a good thing.

* * *

Days later Chloe was still sleeping in Aubrey's bed. She had caught the tail end of Paranormal Activity on TV the night after their horror movie outing and it had reinforced the fear that she had been feeling but it also enticed the fascination she now held with the supernatural elements. Ghosts had always interested her. The idea that someone could die but their spirit could still remain behind to watch over their loved ones was something that had been a comfort to her from a young age. Ever since her mother had taken her aside after her grandmother had died and told her that she would always be watching over her.

Chloe had looked up books on the paranormal as a kid. Sometimes in Jr. High would walk to the library after school and find all the books she could on ghosts and spirits. Her heart would always beat a little faster when she read the descriptions of haunted houses and ghost stories that had been passed down through generations. She even asked her mom for a copy of her favorite book that she had found among the shelves.

Now, years later she had searched out the tattered copy of Ghost Stories of the American South and was reading it a little at a time. Just enough to sate her interest but not enough to make her overly scared. One story in particular intrigued her. The tale of a New Orleans medium who had contacted a spirit during a seance that had plagued her until her early and vaguely suspicious death.

Instead of making her feel better, she was jumpier than usual and had started to be afraid of being in the apartment alone at night. That's why she had been sticking close to Aubrey who had begged her to stop reading up on occult practices and contacting spirits but it was no use. Chloe was going to ride this train until it derailed.

That is why she had concocted a plan. She started to do little things here and there to scare Chloe, hoping that something would break her of the habitual scare fest. Aubrey's patience was growing thin. It was hard to wean herself off of Chloe if she was constantly there, touching her and clinging to her at night.

That's why, after much thought on the subject, she employed drastic measures in an attempt to correct the ill. If she had to guess, she would say that the plan had as much chance to blow up in her face as not, but short of confessing her feelings and asking for space she saw no other way. She knew that if she did it would alter their relationship forever and she would rather keep the status quo than have Chloe shrink away from her after she knew.

Chloe was sitting on the couch watching yet another ghostly reality show on the Travel Channel when Aubrey started to execute her plan. She pulled out her phone and brought up the TV remote app that she had downloaded just for this purpose. From her seat at the table she held it out and switched the TV off. She nearly snickered when Chloe's back stiffened but she held it in and looked down at her notebook when she caught Chloe's head turning to glance around the room. She looked back up and caught her looking at the remote in her hand as if it had somehow betrayed her.

Chloe hit the power button and quickly turned the channel to Food Network. Aubrey laughed quietly to herself and waited a few minutes before quickly pointing her phone at the TV again and tapping the button. Chloe nearly shot off the couch when the TV turned back to the Travel Channel.

"What the hell!" Chloe said. She looked back at Aubrey who was looking up at her with a quizzical expression.

"What?" Aubrey called on her poker face that had been perfected by necessity. Her father was very much of the ideology that kids needed to develop thick skins to be equipped for life's trials. Therefore, she had been included in the teasing and occasionally harsh practical jokes between her brothers and father. It was a wonder that none of them had ended up in the emergency room but Arthur Posen never really let things get too far out of hand.

Chloe's eyes were wide and her lip trembled. "The TV, it turned off by itself and then after I turned it back on the channel changed." She got up and walked over to the table feeling safer the closer she was to Aubrey. "We've got a ghost," she said, looking around the apartment like a spektor was suddenly going to appear in front of them.

"Calm down, Chloe." Aubrey closed her book and got up, gently pushing Chloe out of her way. "We don't have a ghost." She opened the cabinet and took out a skillet and held it out. "Help me cook dinner." Chloe only knew how to cook a few things but she could cook them well. It relaxed her and usually took her mind off her troubles, a fact that Aubrey was banking on due to the guilt she was currently feeling.

"Okay," Chloe said, "But I still don't believe that we don't have a ghost because that," she gestured at the TV, "Was freaky."

Aubrey just shrugged and continued to get the vegetables out of the fridge. They settled into an easy silence Aubrey working on her side of the kitchen and Chloe on the other, but soon her part was over and Aubrey sat down to resume taking notes out of her Cell Biology text.

"Shoot, I left those clothes in the washer." Chloe moved to the sink and washed her hands.

"You better go put them in the dryer before they get all gross." Aubrey said flatly. It was a common occurrence and most of the time she managed to avert it by stealing Chloe's dirty clothes and doing her laundry along with her own but the new boundaries thing included a line that stopped at her handling Chloe's underwear. She didn't know why it was different than it used to be. Chloe had definitely noticed but chose not to say anything.

Once she was sure that there was no chance of being seen, she sprang up and moved all of the items on the counter around, including placing the skillet on a different burner, then returned to her seat and stuck her head so far into her book that all that could be seen of her was her loose bun of blonde hair.

She heard the dryer door slam shut and chloe re-emerged and made her way back to the stove, humming a song and stopping to look over Aubrey's shoulder. "That looks complicated," Chloe said and continued humming. Aubrey leaned back but tensed when her back gently bumped Chloe's chest. She sighed when Chloe backed up a little but stayed close enough that she could still smell the perfume that lingered on her skin.

"Are you humming the Decemberists?" Aubrey asked. Her lips twitched and she could practically feel Chloe's eyes on the back of her head. She turned an accusatory glare in her direction.

"Maybe," she said. She tried to feign innocence but she knew she was caught.

Aubrey nodded and raised both eyebrows. "Did you put the CD back?" Chloe had a bad habit of borrowing Aubrey's CDs and losing them somewhere along the 's sheepish grin told her everything she needed to know

"I may have left it in my car," she said

"Just bring it in when you get home from class tomorrow." Aubrey would have groused at her more about being more responsible with other's possessions but she was eager to see Chloe's reaction to her little trick. "I think the chicken is burning," she said casually.

"Oh, crap," Chloe replied. She rushed over to the stove and stopped, looking back and forth between the things laid out on the counter and the skillet that had been moved. She reached out quickly and turned down the heat on the stove and turned back to Aubrey, trepidation coloring her features. "Did you move this stuff." She pointed at the counter and waited for Aubrey to look up.

"Hmm," Aubrey said, her voice muffled by the pen she had clasped between her teeth. She looked up, pulling a very convincing surprised face and let the pen drop from her mouth. "What are you talking about?"

"Everything here was in a different place when I went to get the clothes out of the washer," Chloe said impatiently. She wrung her hands and blinked rapidly. "Did you move it."

Aubrey shook her head. "No, why would I move it." She could see that Chloe was really freaked out this time. "Are you sure it was moved?" She was starting to crack at the edges seeing Chloe so afraid. If it had been anyone else she wouldn't feel so bad but the way Chloe's eyes were starting to water sent a dagger right to her gut.

Chloe straightened her back and sniffed, trying to maintain her cool. "It must be the ghost," she said and went back to cooking, slowly moving everything back to the where it was before. She turned the heat completely off on the burner and switched the other one back on, removing the skillet and putting it back in it's rightful place. "I have to say it's not a very mean ghost, just mischievous."

Aubrey's insides turned to mush. She hated when Chloe did things that she found adorable. Her stomach churned with a mixture of guilt and her pent up feelings, making it gurgle. This was going to be a long night and she knew that at the end of it she would let Chloe crawl into her bed so that she was safe from this fake ghost. Her plan had, indeed, backfired. Instead of clawing her way back out of the pit of emotion she had dug herself deeper.

* * *

The next day Chloe came home from class later than usual. Her errand had took her off her normal route. Because she was so late, they arrived at the same time. Aubrey pulled up in the parking space beside and got out of her car, joining Chloe on the sidewalk. She noticed that Chloe was holding a large brown paper bag that was decorated with a big tree. She read the name on the side of the bag, Passages.

"What's that?" Aubrey asked. Suspicion rose through her as Chloe clutched the bag closer to her and just smiled. "I hate it when you smile like that. It means that you're up to something," she said, fearful of whatever Chloe had purchased now.

"You'll see." Chloe said. The jaunt to her step made Aubrey even more curious. She watched for a few more seconds while Chloe got a lead on her and then jogged to catch up. "I'm going to prove to you that we've got a ghost."

After dinner Aubrey cleared the table and rinsed the dishes off before placing them in the dishwasher. She glanced over at Chloe who was finishing up her glass of tea and flipping through a magazine. "How are you going to prove that we have a ghost," she asked.

Chloe squinted her eyes at the print and then gave up, finally attending to Aubrey's question. "You're just going to have to wait." She returned to the magazine and held the page closer to her. "I think I'm going blind." Changing the subject seemed to be the best idea at the moment. If she was going to get Aubrey to agree to what she was about to ask of her, she was going to have to do some fast talking.

The scoff was barely audible. "You're not going blind. Now, what's in the bag?" She dried her hands off on a dish towel and stared at the bag sitting on the armchair in the living room. "If you don't tell me, I'm just going to look for myself." To punctuate her threat she started toward the living room.

At the same time Chloe surged out of her chair and beat a path to the bag but Aubrey got there first. She opened it and reached inside. Her hand met a hard, slim item. She pulled it out. It was obviously a board game. She flipped it over and looked at the title. "Ouija," she read aloud and turned to Chloe. Her lips formed a thin line, a giggle escaping from her after a moment. "Really? A Ouija board?"

"Shut it," Chloe replied and grabbed the box. "Just for laughing, you're going to do this with me."

"No way," Aubrey said. She followed Chloe from the living room into her bedroom. "I'm not messing with that thing." Chloe put the box on the bed and ripped at the edge of the plastic. She used her thumbnail to make a hole and pulled it away from the box until it was all gone. Aubrey watched her throw the plastic aside and open it, taking the board and pointer out.

"Come on," Chloe pleaded. Her tone was enough to crack Aubrey. It was her fault that Chloe was freaked out enough to go this far anyway. Once again she found herself caving, and leaving her better instincts behind her in favor of appeasing Chloe.

"Fine, I'll do it." Aubrey sat down on the bed and clasped her hands together. Her friend in elementary school had told her a story long ago about playing with a Ouija board and how the pointer had moved on it's own. Aubrey's skeptical nature made her dismiss the assertion but it had always been there in the back of her mind.

For some reason the things freaked her out a little but she wasn't going to let the weakness show. She was already too open to Chloe, bringing up her own childish fears would make her more vulnerable. The lengths she was willing to go to for Chloe surprised her because at first she hadn't noticed but little by little they multiplied until she was left to face the truth.

It had been so long. The emotional press of what she now recognized as love made her heart heavy enough to sink to the bottom of the ocean. She was in love with her best friend. She hardly felt it when Chloe brushed her shoulder. She was too busy coming to terms with the immensity of her feelings and the hopelessness of her situation.

"Aubrey, get down here," Chloe said and shook her pant leg.

She numbly complied, scooting down the bed and into the floor, sitting opposite Chloe. Her eyes didn't seem to focus. Her assumption that this crush would pass had just exploded like a water balloon, coating her in realization. Her hand was pulled toward the board. She looked down to see Chloe putting it on the edge of the pointer.

"What's the matter with you?" Chloe asked and let go of her hand.

Aubrey blinked and attempted a smile. "Nothing, I was just thinking." She slid her the pointer closer to Chloe and nodded. "Let's get this over with."

Chloe placed her hand on the other rounded side of the wooden piece. Her excitement at trying to make contact with the spirit that she thought was inhabiting their apartment was too strong to make her question Aubrey any farther. "I guess we're just supposed to ask the spirit to speak to us?" She looked up toward the ceiling. "Um, spirit if you're with us could you show up and… move the pointer?"

They both waited. Chloe with anticipation and Aubrey with resignation. "It's not going to work, Chlo." she said.

"Shh," Chloe warned. Her eyes traveled the room, looking for any signs of activity. "Please spirit, just tell us who you are."

Aubrey didn't know why she didn't it, but she did. Her hand gently moved the pointer toward the letters on the board. Chloe's eyes grew as wide. "Oh my god, it's moving. You're not doing that are you." She tried to stay still. "J," she said when the clear plastic of the pointer centered over that letter. It moved again and she called out the subsequent letters. "A" It moved again. "C" Aubrey swallowed hard. "K"

"Jack" Chloe said. "His name is Jack." Her body wiggled in place, getting a little closer to the board so she could see better. "Hi Jack, can you tell us your last name? Oh, and why you're haunting us?"

The pointer moved again. At first Chloe just said the letters out loud and then she realized what they were spelling. "Jack the Ripper," she whispered, looking up in horror.

Aubrey couldn't take it anymore. The comical look of terror on Chloe's face sent her over the edge. Laughter burst forth from her, almost hysterical in nature. Between this bizarre exercise and the shock from her inner confession she was cracking up. Stress usually just made her feel like she was going to vomit but this was different, deeper seeded.

Chloe punched her hard in the arm. "You were moving it, you asshole." She reached back to smack Aubrey again but she stopped. Aubrey had fallen over out of reach.

"Oww," She said and rolled onto her back. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that. I've been doing everything. Moving the stuff in the kitchen and the thing with the TV." She wasn't laughing anymore, just trying to catch her breath. Chloe's face appeared over her.

"What the hell, Aubrey." The behavior was strange. In the years that they had known each other she had never known her to do anything like this. "Why?" Her voice had a hard edge to it. Aubrey rarely ever managed to piss Chloe off, no one did.

Aubrey shrugged, unable to think of a lie. She felt like that was all she ever did with Chloe now. She was tired of the hiding and lying, especially now that she knew that these feelings weren't going to go away. She owed it to her to say something but she still resisted. Rejection wasn't something she dealt with well and though, she wasn't asking Chloe for anything, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that nothing beyond friendship would ever exist between them would make it real.

"I just.."

Chloe poked her in the side, just above her ticklish spot. Aubrey hated to be tickled, almost as much as she hated disorganization, and even more than she hated it when Chloe borrowed her CD's and lost them. "Don't do it." she said. Her hands went down to her side in an attempt to block Chloe but she was too late.

Chloe's slender fingers ran up and down Aubrey's sides, hitting all the right spots. Aubrey screeched and wriggled underneath her relentless hands. "Stop, stop," she gasped out. The terrible sensation kept coming. She had nearly turned herself over in an attempt to get away.

"Why did you do it," Chloe said. "Just tell me and I'll stop. She reached her leg across Aubrey's squirming waist and used it to pull her in, straddling her. Aubrey hiccuped, air moving across her throat in bursts.

"I love you!" She wheezed the words out, her hands still scrambling to stop the torture. Chloe's body stilled and she dropped her hands from Aubrey's body.

"What?" Her throat was dry.

"I said, I love you," Aubrey said. "I'm in love with you. I just wanted you to stop sleeping with me because it was kind of like torture, so I figured if I scared you, you wouldn't keep looking up things about ghosts and then you wouldn't feel like you needed company at night, but that totally backfired. Not one of my more brilliant plans, I grant you." Her babbling ceased and she checked Chloe's face for a reaction.

"You're in love with me." Chloe rolled onto her side and off of Aubrey. "Love." Her mind was having issues interpreting the signals it was receiving. The concept was foreign to her, having only engaged in fleeting relationships over her college career. The only steady relationship in her life had been Aubrey. She leaned up and gathered her feet under her, rising from the floor.

"Where are you going?" Aubre followed and put out a hand to catch Chloe's arm. "Hey," she soothed. Her insides were ripping apart. She hadn't realized how hard this was going to be. "I'm sorry, I was stupid to tell you that way but I guess you needed to know eventually."

Chloe just nodded and broke free of Aubrey's grip. She made it as far as the doorway before she turned. Aubrey almost bumped into her. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Chloe's lips moved to the side and she bit the inside of her cheek. She looked up and took in Aubrey's face. The veracity of Aubrey's claim lay there, screaming at her from the concerned eyes to the hard set jaw. It made sense. The way they interacted, how Aubrey had been pulling away. She should have seen, should have realized what they were heading towards all along but love made you do crazy things. She leaned in but Aubrey backed away.

"What are you doing?"

Chloe's grabbed her arms and pulled her back in. "Will you stand still," the last word was smothered as their lips touched. Aubrey's eyes fluttered shut and she kissed Chloe back, not really sure what was going on. Their hesitation was short lived. Thoughts were dispelled by and doubt effervesced as they moved together. Chloe's lips parted to let Aubrey enter and their hands found homes they had not known before in places more intimate than even sleeping in the same bed had allowed.

Chloe broke away, taking a much needed breath. The kiss was overwhelming but the feelings that they brought to surface, like bubbles rising in a pool, were the real surprise. Once again she had been oblivious even to what she had wanted, but Aubrey had seen it from her side, even if it didn't occur to her that Chloe want it too deep down inside.

"You're an idiot," Chloe murmured as she leaned in and kissed Aubrey again.

"I'm okay with that," Aubrey muttered into lips she never thought she would experience. It had all been worth it and years from now she would have horror movies to thank for bringing them together. The thought gave her momentary pause but Chloe's insistent hand gripped the back of her head, drawing her back into the present, because that's where she should be. The future was for figuring things out.


	5. A's New Obsession

**A/N: This prompt was kind of special to me and kind of torturous to write for some reason. I'm sorry in advance. **

* * *

Chloe never read but for the last week Aubrey has come home to find her deep into a book. She hadn't bothered to ask what the books were because it just didn't occur to her that it was anything other than assigned reading, but because Chloe seemed so enraptured by them she was starting to get curious. Chloe had always been a very social being and though, she kept up with her classes and got excellent grades she would usually rather see a movie or hang out with people than read for pleasure.

Aubrey opened the door to their apartment and saw Chloe draped out on the couch with a throw blanket over her legs and yet another book open in front of her. The fingers of her right hand were curled into her palm and her chin was resting on them. If she noticed Aubrey's arrival she gave no indication of it. Now, it's day eight of the reading marathon and Aubrey can't help but ask.

She set down her things and went straight to the end of the couch that wasn't occupied by Chloe. When she sat down, it's with the hope that it will make Chloe stir so she wouldn't have to interrupt her but she was so absorbed in her book that she didn't even spare Aubrey a glance. "What are you reading?" The question sounded innocent, but a smidgen of suspicion crept into her voice.

Chloe inhaled sharply and gave a start, as if she had no idea that Aubrey was sitting one foot away from her. When she emerged from the book she met the curious gaze and downturned lips of her girlfriend.. "Perfect, it's one of the Pretty Little Liars books," she said. She knew what was about to come but she didn't care. Before the mocking could start she went back to reading.

One beautiful, arched eyebrow rose in mocking. "Seriously?" She picked up Chloe's feet and set them on her lap, scooting down towards her. "That's kind of silly, isn't it?" She gestured toward the book. "I mean, isn't it a teen book?" She let her lips quirk up a little when Chloe sighed at her in frustration.

She looked up and focused on Aubrey. "Yes, but that doesn't mean that they're bad?" Her eyes fell back to the page. "It's actually pretty thrilling. You never know what's going to happen next and you just get sucked in by the story. You can't help it."

Aubrey chuckled under her breath and leaned over to grab her backpack from where she placed it at the end of the couch. "Whatever you say," she said. She pulled open her bag and grabbed her Comparative Politics book. "I just hope you aren't putting off homework or something so you can read those… books."

Chloe smiled tightly and looked up from the page again. "I'm not but thanks. mom." The words were clouded by distraction and had the flavor of good humor. Her eyes went back to devouring every word with almost painful anticipation for the next. Aubrey left her alone, becoming distracted by her own reading.

At ten her mind began to ascend from the abyss of a chapter on globalization and she glanced over to Chloe, who was still reading furiously. Aubrey leaned forward and placed her text on the coffee table. Her arms stretched up into the air, one falling back onto Chloe's legs and one settling along the back of the couch. She let her eyes travel Chloe's face, trying to figure out a way to get what she wanted without asking for it. Most nights they would sit together and study or watch TV but Chloe always had her antenna tuned to what Aubrey was doing. It wasn't the case tonight and Aubrey, as childish as it felt, was sad and a little miffed.

She ran her hand up the outside of the blanket until she reached Chloe's knee. Once there, she played with the threads that had sprung loose from the throw. "Um, Chloe?" She sucked part of her bottom lip in between her teeth and bit down lightly. "It's time for bed." She blinked in disbelief when Chloe didn't even miss a beat.

"You go ahead," she murmured. "I'm going to finish this chapter." Her hands gripped the book and she turned the page, not even noticing Aubrey's frown.

Her fingers stilled and she sighed. "But you've been reading for the whole night and you need to get some sleep." She knew Chloe had an early class. "You always say that you regret it when you stay up too late on Wednesdays." It was true. Like clockwork on Thursday afternoon Aubrey would get a text from Chloe complaining about being tired and asking why she didn't make her go to bed earlier. Therefore, Aubrey felt vindicated in trying to get Chloe to bend to her will, even if she did have an agenda.

Chloe's hand left the book and deftly found Aubrey's and squeezed. She waited, looking at Chloe for any clue that she was going to answer but there was none. After a minute she got up with a huff, dislodging Chloe's legs. To Aubrey's chagrin her eyes never even left the page as her legs settled back onto the couch.

She walked to the bedroom door and looked back. Chloe absently fixed the throw so that it covered her again but didn't move otherwise. Aubrey's brow wrinkled and she went straight to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Maybe Chloe was telling the truth and she would just finish the chapter and put the book away for the night.. Her faith was dwindling though because by now Chloe was usually joining her in her evening routine.

After reflection it very apparent to her that they did pretty much everything together. She never thought about it because it was such a assumed behavior that had hardly changed from when they were simply best friends. Now, that Chloe was practically ignoring her for what she considered juvenile fiction, she had occasion to think over their past.

They had become friends quickly and it wasn't often that Aubrey got close to someone like that. It had never really happened before. She had a lot of acquaintances but close friends were hard for her to come by. She might be considered a little intense for most people but Chloe was special. She smoothed those parts of Aubrey away. Rough corners became a little less sharp and weight was lifted from her by Chloe's influence.

She blinked at her reflection. She had never given her looks much thought. She knew she was at least pleasant to look at but it hadn't seemed all that important beyond the realization that it seemed to make life easier. People were more willing to have a positive impression of her since she was good looking, but it wasn't until Chloe that she felt beautiful. Maybe she didn't feel that way all the time but she still blushed when that glint appeared in Chloe's eyes. She knew that no one else got to see that look and it made her feel special, not like just another soldier in an army searching for perfection.

She went to bed without Chloe and eight solid hours of sleep later she woke up to an empty bed. Grumbling, she got up and pushed her unruly hair back, then made her way to the living room where she found her girlfriend passed out on the couch just where she had left her the night before.

She smiled, despite her sadness at having missed waking up to see Chloe beside her. It was almost too cute that she hadn't been able to put her book down long enough to come to bed. Aubrey walked around the couch and bend down to pick up the book that had fallen from Chloe's hand, which was hanging palm up over the edge of the couch.

She lowered onto one knee and grazed her fingers over Chloe's cheek. She was gorgeous, as always but the intimacy of seeing Chloe at her most vulnerable was something extra special that Aubrey would never take for granted.

Chloe's cheek twitched under the caress and her eye blinked open slowly. Aubrey's loving gaze made them open wider. "Hey," she muttered. "What time is it?"

Aubrey's lips pursed, suppressing a huge grin. "It's eight," She leaned over and kissed Chloe lightly on the cheek. "I can't believe you fell asleep out here." She watched as Chloe sat up and rubbed her eyes, each moment becoming more adorable than the last. "I missed you," she said, frowning.

Chloe smiled and reached out to calm the wild blonde hair that shot out at angles all over Aubrey's head. "I missed you too, silly face,"

If anyone else she had dated had a propensity to use cutsy names with her she might have projectile vomited, but against her will she found it an utterly charming characteristic in Chloe. "Okay, get up," she said. The blanket fell to the floor when Chloe's arms shot out to stretch. Aubrey gulped at the sight but battled on, attempting to keep her voice in its normal octave. "You've only got thirty minutes to get ready," she finished.

Chloe rushed around the bedroom. Grabbing everything she needed while Aubrey worked in the kitchen to make her something quick to eat on the way. They really were the picture of domesticity. Sometimes she let herself think about how it would be ten years down the road. Both successful in their careers, with a nice house, and maybe even a kid. She wanted it but it was way too early. Letting herself fantasize about it seemed dangerous.

Aubrey was a person who was always assuming the crash position in life. If something happened and they didn't stay together maybe it wouldn't hurt quite as much since she didn't have their future planned out. Somewhere deep inside she still wondered when Chloe was going to wake up and realize that she could do better.

Her hands froze over the skillet. She had to banish that thought once and for all one of these days. She and Chloe were fine and self-sabotage was seriously not on her to do list. She used the spatula to shovel an egg between two pieces of bread and put a slice of cheese on top of the egg. It was one of Chloe's favorites. The only good thing about it was the protein from the eggs but they didn't care. As far as college students went, they ate better than anyone else they knew.

Chloe breezed through the kitchen grabbing the travel mug full of coffee that Aubrey had made her and the plate that was sitting in front of her, taking the egg sandwich off before leaning over the counter to kiss Aubrey. "Love you, thanks for breakfast," she said as she returned to her side of the counter.

Aubrey laughed when Chloe took a big bite of the sandwich and winked at her before rushing for the door. She really was perfect. She shook her head at the gooey feeling in her stomach and the fullness of her heart and set to cleaning up after herself instead of ruminating on the way Chloe made her feel.

Once she had everything in the kitchen finished, she did all their laundry, organized Chloe's side of the closet, and read ahead by two chapters in her Islam and Politics class, she was at a loss. She could go to the gym but then she would miss out on going with Chloe later. None of their friends were free to hang out with, not that there were many people that she called on for that regularly. TV didn't sound appealing to her so she sat down on the couch and looked around the apartment, bewildered.

Then her eyes fell on the book that she had set on the coffee table this morning. Her lips twitched into a disapproving frown. Chloe's frivolous reading choice was a sore point for her and she didn't know why. Logically, she had no problem with it but for some reason there was a prejudice that surged inside her every time she thought of it.

"Hmm" She looked over to the bookshelf in the corner. All of the books in the series were there, the bright covers beaconing her. With a huff and a prim eye roll she got up and went to the bookshelf. She looked over the books and pulled one off the shelf. It was the first in the series so she opened it and read the first page and then the second page. She didn't stop there because fifteen minutes later she looked up, wondering how the time had passed. She looked back down at the book and the over at the couch. Maybe sitting down and reading two chapters wouldn't be a complete waste of time, she decided.

* * *

Chloe came home that evening to find Aubrey on the living room floor. She was on her stomach with the book in front of her, still reading but by now she was on book two. "Hey," she said and stood over Aubrey, who simply gave her a wave. She shed her shoes, relief flooding through her feet. The vague greeting made Chloe pause but she walked on past dumping her bag and keys by the door, which usually would have earned her an angry stare from Aubrey but this time it went unnoticed. That was when Chloe knew something was up.

She walked back to Aubrey and nudged her side with her sock clad toe. Aubrey's hand came around to smack it.

"Stop it," Aubrey warned.

Chloe snickered and poked her again, this time in the butt. Aubrey finally turned around, her steely gaze only making Chloe laugh.

"I said, stop it," she growled. "Can't you see I'm trying to read?"

Her fingers were splayed out over the page of the book but Chloe's questing foot didn't give her a reprieve. She was an expert at just how far she could push Aubrey before she really got upset. Once Aubrey had turned back over, giving her one last warning look. Chloe reached her foot forward and scooted it under Aubrey's stomach, wiggling her toes.

Aubrey nearly curled into a ball because Chloe knew full well exactly where her ticklish spots were. "Oh my god, you bitch," Aubrey shrieked and pushed at Chloe's foot until she had successfully batted it away.

Chloe grinned down at Aubrey who was now giving her the death glare. "Watcha doin?" She lowered herself onto the floor and looked up at the book that now lay cover up on the carpet. The title jumped out at her, it's familiar words making her face light up. She busted out laughing and fell the rest of the way onto her side, rolling and laughing while Aubrey looked at her as if she were an alien.

"What is wrong with you tonight?" Aubrey asked.

When she finally caught her breath it was clear that her little breakdown had done nothing to sooth her girlfriend's irritation. "I'm sorry, it's just," she pointed at the book. "You were making fun of me for reading it and now you're just as bad as I am."

Aubrey looked down at the book and then back at Chloe. Her grim face fell into a sheepish smile. "I know, I was so bored so I started reading it and you're totally right. I couldn't put it down," she finished.

Chloe nudged her shoulder. These were the times that she was so glad that she got to see the parts of Aubrey that were hidden from the world. The admissions of quirks and geeking out over 80's and 90's pop music. The part of Aubrey that had been curious enough to see why this book series had captured her attention, that was what she loved the most. bout her.

"So, I guess you want to borrow the rest of them now," Chloe said.

Aubrey nodded and bit her lip. "It's just so good," she said. "You know it pains me to admit this so no more teasing."

Chloe put up her hand. "I swear," she said. What Aubrey didn't see were the fingers that were crossed behind her back. "You know I love you right?" She was planning to give Aubrey hell over the next few weeks because having read the books herself she knew that Aubrey's intense nature was going to make her even more engrossed than Chloe herself had been.

Aubrey cast a suspicious glance in her direction before finding her place in the book again. "Yes, I do." She waited for Chloe to go on but no words were forthcoming. "I love you too. What's your point?"

Chloe shook her head and grinned. "Nothing, just I love you." Inside she was snickering and gloating already. Someone had to give Aubrey Posen hell and as the person most likely to get away with it, she gladly volunteered for the job.


	6. Hera and Bramble

**A/N: I blame this prompt on ourplaceonthepathunwinding. :-P These little kitties gave me a bit of trouble and so did work so this is why it took so long to arrive. **

* * *

The commute home was thirty minutes of pure hell. A drive that would have taken no more than ten minutes if the roads had been devoid of traffic and every further impediment had been removed. It had been almost impossible to even get out of the parking lot at work. The constant stream of cars, crammed with people who were no more happy about the situation than she was, blocked her exit. No one seemed kind enough to let her out but finally there was a break in the stream and she was able to slip out and right into the gridlock.

She meandered through light after light and when she finally came to the road that turned into her neighborhood a smile came to her face. "Finally," she said under her breath. She turned the wheel and slowly guided the car past the houses, each unique unto itself. Aubrey chose this neighborhood because of that. It wasn't like most, where the houses were identical, it was an older but trendy part of town where the houses had interesting architectural modifications or were just restored historic dwellings.

She hit the button on her garage door opener and drove into the dark space, grabbing her bag. She shut the door softly and briefly considered getting her mail. The sloped driveway made it seem so far and she was so tired. Instead, she just entered the house and was met by a very happy flash of fur that rubbed on her legs, tripping her up as usual.

Ignoring the threat of fur on her clothes, she picked her cat up and held it to her chest while it purred and rubbed its head on her chin, it's grey fur tickling her face. "It's nice to be home, Hera," she mumbled as she set her bag down on the kitchen counter and set the cat on the tile floor. Aubrey grinned when Hera immediately went right back to depositing furry affection on her pants leg. "Stop that," Aubrey said. She moved quickly in the direction of the bedroom so she could avoid any more shedding, she silently cursed the fact that she had forgotten to pick up a lint roller. Getting Hera's thick grey and white fur off her clothes was a daily struggle and was made even worse without something sticky to help her cause.

This was the best part of her day, coming home to decompress from the often rough grind of office politics and stressful cases. Being an assistant DA wasn't the easiest career path she could have chosen but it would set her up to join any firm she chose if she put her time in and played it right.

All that was forgotten the moment she disposed of her suit and donned her favorite sweatpants and an old college t-shirt. Then she could sit down and veg while watching bad TV until it was time to eat her modest dinner and retire to sleep at exactly ten p.m. It was a routine she was used to and it was one she was loathed to deviate from, even when her job demanded it.

She woke up at five-thirty, blinking sleep away and completely disoriented. Her dinner lay half eaten on the coffee table and the TV was blaring some infomercial about a miracle age cream. She sat up and looked around, wondering why she felt so cold and how she had fallen asleep on the couch. Her feet contacted the wood floor and she shivered from the chill it sent up her spine. There was definitely something weird going on. She made her way through the dark house to the back, where she saw a sliver of light creating shadows across the wall. She reached out to touch the handle of the patio door. It was open a little, letting cool morning air in.

Since she had fallen asleep on the couch she hadn't locked up. However, that did not explain why the door was open. She closed it and wrapped her arms around her torso to ward off the night air. She might as well stay up since she had to be at work in an hour and a half anyway. It would allow her to take her time in the shower.

In the kitchen she flipped the coffee maker on and felt a little better about things as it gurgled to life. With a deep sigh she padded into the laundry room beyond the kitchen and filled Hera's food and water dishes. Then went back to stare at the coffee maker. It never went fast enough while she was watching. Her eyes were squinted as a result of her early morning wake up. She just hoped it didn't throw off the rest of her day.

Abandoning the coffee maker to do it's thing, she made her way into the bedroom and started to get ready. During her shower nothing shouted to her consciousness but she did feel a nagging feeling of wrongness. It was just too easy to attribute it to falling asleep somewhere other than her bed. When she had dressed and done her hair and makeup she went back, happy in the knowledge that there would be coffee now.

Things were so much more simple when she distracted herself from the little frustrations of life. She poured a cup and added creamer from the fridge. She had long ago decided that sugar was too bad for her so she stopped putting it in her coffee but creamer, that was something she could never give up.

She grabbed the paper from the stoop and sat at the table, reading the local sections. She liked to scan it for coverage on all the crime and cases in the area. She was reading about a local drug bust when it all finally clicked. Hera. She hadn't see her cat all morning. Even when she had poured her food.

It didn't matter where she was, that was the sound that drew Hera from the woodwork and caused her to come running to the kitchen. Aubrey's brow scrunched and the paper fell to the table. She couldn't have been locked in any of the rooms because the doors were all open.

She got up and went into the bedroom and checked under the bed, her most usual hiding spot but to no avail. There was only a few dust bunnies and a storage container. She got up from the floor and walked into the living room, looking in every nook and crany. Now, she could feel worry start to turn to panic. Hera had never been missing before. She had always stuck close to Aubery, from kittenhood to now, five years later.

Then cold realization swept through her and she remembered the open patio door. She had been half asleep and discombobulated when she had closed it but she cursed herself for not thinking of it sooner. She rushed to the door and pulled it open, scanning the yard as she stepped out onto the patio. The privacy fence cut off her view of the other houses but she could clearly see that her cat was nowhere in sight. She called for her in the silly cat voice that she used when she wanted Hera to come to her but nothing.

Her phone went off. She looked down and saw that it was her alarm. That meant she had a few minutes to drive through the neighborhood and look for Hera if it came to that. She went back through the house and grabbed her bag and went out the font door, making sure that there was no sign of her out front either.

She was really hoping to find her mewling to get in on the porch but only an empty wooden expanse greeted her when she stepped out. There was no sign of her in the front yard and she walked around the side of the house also coming up with nothing. Then she punched in the garage code and walked to her car, deciding it was ridiculous to go back into the house just to use the garage door.

When she started up the car, she was still hoping that Hera would magically appear in the garage but because she kept it so neat she could see into every corner of the space and there was no cat there either. Biting her lip, she pulled out of the drive. The paranoia was spinning in her brain so she inched out in reverse just in case somehow Hera was behind the car.

Once she was in the street she looked around the immediate area and then took off down the street creeping along so she could look out the windows on either side. Up one street and down the other she went, until she was a little heartsick at the loss of hope because now she had to go to work. She knew she would think about this all day but there was nothing else she could do.

She got to work twenty minutes later and rushed to her office, turns out her detour to look for her cat made her late. Her desk chair felt uncomfortable and her office seemed cramped, like the walls were closing in on her. With a grimace she set her bag beside the desk and checked her messages. It was going to be an extremely long day.

* * *

A week later there was still no sign of Hera and Aubrey was starting to despair she had contacted all of the people in the neighborhood that she happened to know but no one had any further information. Three days ago she had started to plaster posters all over the area, a practice that she had always abhorred. Now, she understood why people did it because even though it seemed ridiculous, Hera was her best friend and closest companion. The only being that was always there for her and who always loved her no matter what.

Now, she was feeling the grief over her lost feline friend to an intensity she considered disproportionate to the logic of the situation. However, she could not argue with what she felt and chose to pray for news rather than pick apart her own psychological state.

At the moment she was trying to concentrate on catching up on her email, a practice that was always a bore but was made much harder because of her current distraction. It was almost time to go home, providing that her boss didn't assign her any research or a new case. That would almost be a blessing because she hated the thought of going home to an empty house.

Her poor attempts to comfort herself by thinking about how she hadn't had to clean the litter box in days were weak and actually just made her feel guilty for benefiting in any way from Hera's absence. She had all sorts of visions in her mind. Her cat cold and hungry on the side of the highway in immediate danger of traffic or lost in the woods that separated her neighborhood from the development on the other side of the creek. There she would be exposed to the elements and various predators. No, this wasn't helping at all.

The phone on her desk rang and she reached over to snatch it off the cradle. "Aubrey Posen," she said into the receiver.

"Hi, I saw your flyer about the cat," the woman said.

Aubrey's eyes shot wide open and she sat forward. "Yes? Did you find her?"

The woman chuckled. "Yes, I think I did. At least she looks just like the picture on the flyer and she just showed up a few days ago." There was a pause but before Aubrey could ask the battery of questions she was about to launch into the woman continued. "If you want to come by and see if this is your kitty I can give you my address. I'll be here all night so whatever time is good for you."

Aubrey nodded and then realized that verbal communication was required. "Okay, that's great! I'm actually about to get off work so I can come right over if that is okay."

"That's fine for me. The address is 2619 Pine Valley and my name is Chloe."

Aubrey wrote down the address and telephone number from the caller ID even though she knew she would be able to recall it from memory, better safe than sorry. "Great, I'll be there in about thirty minutes. Thank you so much." The relief at this turn of events was as clear in her voice as Chloe's smile was in hers.

"My pleasure," Chloe said. "I'll look forward to the reunion."

The happy laugh that she heard at the end of the sentence made Aubrey smile for the first time in a week. "Okay, me too."

She shut down her computer and grabbed her bag. There was no way she was going to get side tracked on her way out so she took a circuitous route to avoid walking by her bosses office but alas she heard her name being called just as she thought she had safely made it to the elevator.

She turned to find the District Attorney walking towards her with a purposeful look. She hit the elevator button anyway and stood waiting. Maybe it was a short tidbit about a case or something she needed to do tomorrow.

"Aubrey, before you leave I need you to look into these witnesses." He held out a folder and she took it from him, thumbing through the contents.

"Isn't this Manny's case?" She regretted the impatient tone to her voice but she was on a mission. "Isn't he handling everything on this one. His big chance to impress everyone and all?"

She had long ago proved herself to her boss and the local judges so she knew what the process took and the boss assigning another ADA to help was definitely a bad sign. She felt bad for him momentarily but if he couldn't cut it then he shouldn't be here.

"He needs help and you're the best." He nodded and smiled making pride blossom in her. "Look he's getting overwhelmed and it's a big case.."

Aubrey's jaw set and she clasped the file. "Sir, I have a pressing personal matter to take care of so is there any way that this can wait until tomorrow or I can even do the work from home?"

It wasn't a request she had ever made before. She worked longer, harder, and more diligently than any ADA he had ever hired. "That will be fine," he said and then put a hand on her shoulder. "Just consult with Manny as soon as you can." He patted her shoulder. "I hope it's nothing serious," he said before turning to go back into the office.

"No sir," she said. The elevator dinged behind her and the doors opened. With one last look at his retreating back she rushed into the car. She pressed the button for the parking garage and rode down, her patience dwindling with every moment that the light didn't appear behind the P on the elevator display.

By the time she was near her neighborhood she was thankful for her early departure as it allowed her to miss the worst of the afternoon traffic. She looked down at her her phone for the thousandth time and watched the green icon's progression on her GPS program. She was getting closer and she was getting her hopes up. Surely this was her Hera. How many long haired white and grey cats with blue eyes were there wandering around her neighborhood? The voice of the GPS told her that her destination should be on the left.

When she looked up she found a quaint green two storey house with an octagon shaped window in the second floor. the trim was off white and the yard was well kept. She liked it. When she turned the car off and got out she looked around to check for traffic and crossed the road.

When she got to the door she looked down at the mat that sat at her feet. It had a cute picture of a cat and said. A spoiled cat lives here. No wonder this woman had called her, she was obviously a cat owner herself and pretty up front about it. She reached her hand out to knock on the door but it opened before she could.

The huge smile and vibrant blue eyes took her by surprise. She blinked and cleared her throat as her hand made its way back down to her side. "Are you Chloe?" The woman nodded and stepped aside to let her into the house.

"Come on in," Chloe said. She walked down the front hallway and looked back. "I hope you found it okay. Sometimes people have trouble if they have to look up directions. For some reason the post office said the address doesn't exist." She stopped in the divide between the kitchen and the living room.

Aubrey looked at the wide stairs made of dark wood that led up to the loft on the second floor. It was a small and quaint house, just as cute and appealing on the inside as it was outside. It fit it's owner she decided. Her long red hair and gorgeous smile made Aubrey very self conscious, something that hadn't happened in a very long time.

Chloe gestured towards the living room. "Come on, when I left the cats they were enjoying some chill time on the tower." She led the way and then stopped in front of the most massive cat play tower that Aubrey had ever seen.

"Wow," was all she managed until she saw a pair of blue eyes staring up at her from one of the cushioned platforms. "Hera!" She rushed forward and held out her hands to pick her cat up. Here happily greeted her and nearly leapt into her arms when she was close enough.

She turned when Chloe laughed. "I guess she really is yours then." Aubrey sighed with contentment and smiled as Hera nuzzled her chin and settled into her arms.'

"You have no idea how awesome this is. I thought she was lost forever or dead. I just… thank you." Aubrey's gratitude for this perfect stranger who had taken her cat in and cared for her was overflowing. It made her forget that she had ever been sad in the first place. "Can I offer you anything, a reward?"

Chloe's face scrunched and she shook her head vehemently. "Oh no, so not necessary. As you can see," she said, indicating all of the cat paraphernalia around the house, "I know what it's like to be a cat lover."

Aubrey wasn't so much a cat lover but she did love her cat. Correcting Chloe seemed like bad manners so she kept her mouth shut and just nodded.

Chloe reached out to pet a orange and black cat that was sitting across the back of the chair beside the tower. "Bramble here is going to be sorry to see her new friend go." Chloe leaned forward and whispered as if the cats could understand her and take offense. "They got very close while she was here."

Aubrey almost lost her self control. A sound somewhere between a laugh and a cough came out of her mouth and her mouth hung slightly open while both eyebrows shot up. She found herself wondering why this tiny, diminutive little cat was called Bramble. When she thought of that word in connection to a cat she saw a huge, fluffy cat with a smooshed face, not this little prim and quiet cat with curious eyes. The woman might be gorgeous but she was also a little odd.

"It's a weird name I know but there is a story behind it." Chloe smiled as if Aubrey reaction had never happened. "Anyway, I think they're pals now. You should bring Hera over for kitty play dates or something." Chloe subtly gave Aubrey a once over. She was intrigued even though she had literally met this woman five minutes ago. Chloe always went with her gut and her it was telling her that this person was worth knowing.

"Ah," Aubrey said. She didn't quite know how to respond to the suggestion. It seemed a bit outlandish, getting cats together to visit and play, but she didn't want to insult Chloe so she searched her mind for anything she could say that wasn't directly negative. "As nice as that sounds I don't know if cats really enjoy play dates." She cleared her throat. She had no issues speaking her mind normally and as a lawyer was intimately familiar with arguing a point but for some reason she just wanted to be nice to this woman.

Chloe kept right on smiling. "Oh, I think they would love it and it would give us a chance to get to know each other as well." The left side of her lips dipped down in an adorable attempt not to show her amusement. "Sorry, you just seem like an interesting person."

Aubrey's hand stroked Hera's fur. She was a little taken aback that a complete stranger found her interesting but she couldn't bring herself to flatly refuse. "I guess someday, if I'm not busy with work and all my laundry is done, and there's nothing pressing going on… maybe we could do that."

The meaning of the words were clear but always undeterred, Chloe nodded. "Sounds , I already have your number but do you need my number?"

"Um, no, I got it off the caller id." Aubrey turned to walk back towards the front door. "Thank you again for taking care of Hera for me and for getting in touch with me."

Chloe opened the door and waited for Aubrey to step out onto the porch before leaning against the doorway. "It was a complete pleasure. She's a great cat and I'm glad I was the one that found her." There was a lot behind those words and they both knew it.

"Me too," Aubrey said. She stepped backwards towards the steps and nearly took a tumble. She just felt so unsettled around this woman.

Chloe covered a laugh and held a hand out as if to help steady her. "Be careful."

Aubrey gave a small wave as she cradled Hera in her arms all the way to the car. Nothing was going to happen to this cat ever again if she could help it. She opened the passenger side and set Hera down on the seat, and then went around and got in the driver's side, careful not to let her get out.

She looked up at the porch before driving away and saw Chloe waving goodbye. She waved back again and then started the car, turning to meet Hera's gaze. "You better never scare me like that again." Hera blinked at her with wide eyes. "That's what I thought," Aubrey said and drove the short way back home.

* * *

A few weeks of pleasant domesticity passed without further incident. The only thing to interrupt her peace was that Hera did actually seem to miss her new friend. She often stood at the patio door and meowed until Aubrey scolded her. She would stop for a few minutes and then go right back to it.

Aubrey didn't know what to do other than ignore it and hope that she forgot or got over it. She refused to call Chloe just because she had the silly notion that her cat was missing Bramble. It was ludicrous and defied the logic that she clung to as a safety net. Refusing to give in was also her way of denying that she wanted to see Chloe again. It just didn't make sense to her and she would rather keep her life uncomplicated than get mixed up in some crush that would only lead to disaster.

She had a career, a loving pet, and all the novels she could read in a lifetime; what else did she need? Asking herself those kinds of questions was bad, because in those moments her heart screamed at her to admit that she was lonely. Needing someone was dangerous so fear kept the feeling at bay and dread kept it from troubling her in the long term.

At seven she always did her Yoga on a small mat in the living room and Hera usually sat atop the chair opposite her and watched. It was a routine she found comforting, but tonight, Hera was at the patio door looking out in the direction of her long lost, if briefly met, friend. Aubrey watched her tail twitch back and forth from her position on the floor.

She was getting worried. The vet had told her that there was absolutely nothing wrong with Hera and that she showed no signs of any illness whatsoever. This led Aubrey right back to Bramble and to Chloe. She sighed heavily. Maybe just one time. She could take Hera over there as sort of a test to see if that really was the problem. Anxiety gurgled in her stomach at the thought.

She stopped in the middle of crane pose and lowered herself back to the ground. She was going to do it. There was no reason to be apprehensive. It's not like she actually knew this woman in the first place and she certainly wasn't going to actually develop anything with her. Chloe was probably not interested and she most certainly had to have a significant other, judging from her beauty and social acumen.

Therefore, she would just arrange a visit to see if this strange grief was what had been troubling her cat and pass a few hours in what seemed pleasant, if not odd company. Making decisions made her feel better so she grabbed her cell phone and went to her antique cherry desk to find the scrap of paper with Chloe's number on it.

She dialed the number before she could talk herself out of it. Her fingers gripped the paper and she turned to lean against the desk as she waited for the line to be picked up. She looked down at her feet, feeling anxious by the time the third ring sounded. She was just about to hang up when Chloe's voice came over the line to greet her.

"Hello, Chloe?" Aubrey released the paper and tugged at the neck of her top, Chloe's voice was just as musical as she remembered. It drew her in. When Chloe answered in the affirmative she launched on. "It's Aubrey. We met the other day when you returned my cat to me. Well, I was wondering if you wanted to get them together."

"Of course, I remember you. I think that's a great idea. Remember, I suggested it first," Chloe said.

Aubrey bit the side of her lip and smiled despite herself. "Well, Hera has been sitting at the patio door meowing for the last few weeks and I have tried everything so I figure it's time to see if a visit with Bramble would do the trick. So, when are you free?"

She could hear the grin in Chloe's words. "Aww, that is sad. Every weekday after five and all weekends mostly. I have specific plans here and there but just tell me what day works for you and we will figure it out."

"How about tomorrow afternoon, say one?" Aubrey didn't like to venture out on weeknights, deeming it too important to recharge for the next day in the DA's office but she just happened to have this weekend free and no cases that could get in the way of an afternoon visit. "Does that sound good?"

"Perfect," Chloe replied.

So, at twelve forty-five the next day Aubrey found herself tucking Hera's into the car again. She thought it was ridiculous to use her carrier for a one block drive so she felt safe just letting her roam about, not that she ever did anything but sit in the passenger seat quietly.

They arrived a little early, as always, and Aubrey walked up the steps only to find the door swinging open and Chloe waiting for them. She seemed to have a propensity for knowing when someone was at her door.

"I heard you drive up so I figured I would come out to greet you."

Aubrey gave a small smile and noticed that Chloe was wearing a Barden Bellas t-shirt and form fitting jeans. She looked great and there was no way that Aubrey could stop herself from appreciating that fact. Her hair was unbound and flowing. Aubrey just wanted to touch it, just once. The urge dissipated when she realized that she was just standing there staring.

Aubrey ascended the steps and switched Hera to her right arm as she reached out to hold the screen door open. "Oh, well it's good to see you again." She followed Chloe into the house and back into the kitty play area. "I see Bramble is enjoying herself." Her gaze flicked down to the bottom of the cat tower where the cat in question was laying on her side sleeping.

Hera struggled to be released from Aubrey's arms. She was being very insistent, scrambling and looking eagerly towards the floor. Aubrey was forced to set her down for fear of dropping her. Bramble perked up and met her new visitor with a sniff and an ear twitch. Hera settled near her on the floor.

Chloe watched them for a moment before she looked up to see Aubrey doing the same. She looked unaware and open, very much unlike she did when she knew she was being paid attention. Chloe liked it because it revealed more than direct conversation with Aubrey might. "So, do you want coffee or tea? I've got both in the kitchen." She hated to break the spell but they couldn't stand there forever staring at the cats.

Aubrey looked up, somewhat startled. "Yeah, coffee would be great." She followed Chloe into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. "I can't believe it. Hera looks happier than she has in weeks." She glanced back toward the living room and then back at Chloe, who was now pouring coffee into two mugs. "It's amazing. Crazy but amazing." She took the mug that Chloe held out to her.

"I told you, they bonded." Chloe set a creamer and sugar dish down on the table and then sat down opposite. She poured a good amount of cream into her coffee and then three tablespoons full of sugar.

Aubrey took the cream and put a dash into her own coffee, watching Chloe doctor hers until no longer really resembled coffee but cream and sugar with a coffee accent. She cleared her throat and stirred the liquid in her own cup. For some reason she found it cute and that was trouble.

"Yeah but she was only here for a four days right? How could they bond that quickly?"

Chloe shrugged and clasped her mug with both hands. "Sometimes a few hours is enough for some… cats to bond and sometimes it takes longer." She saw something undefinable flicker across Aubrey's features and she knew that it was mutual. Interest passed between them like a current. "So, what do you do?"

"I'm an Assistant District Attorney, you?" Aubrey was proud of what she did but flaunting it was not something she liked. Watching colleagues do that made her sick to her stomach and she had vowed to never use her position as a means to impress anyone. It was simply a part of who she was, not a tool to get what she wanted.

"Oh, fancy," Chloe commented and took a sip of her drink. "Now, I know who to call if I ever get arrested." Aubrey's eyebrow shot up and she felt compelled to amend her words. "I'm kidding of course but anyway, I teach vocal performance at Barden."

"Oh, so you sing," Aubrey said. The thought made her smile. It made sense that Chloe would have a beautiful voice. She didn't know why, much like everything else that had happened since Hera ran away. "I used to sing in college. I was in an a capella group."

Chloe's eyes lit up. "Me too!" She grinned and pointed at her shirt. "The Bellas." She let her hand fall back to the table and wondered what Aubrey's singing voice would sound like. "Where did you go to school?"

Aubrey drank the last of her coffee and pushed the mug forward, indicating that she was done. "Dartmouth," she said. "It's where my Dad went and my grandfather." She smiled when Chloe automatically refilled her cup. "I went to law school there too and then graduated and came down here to work. My mom's family is from here and I just wanted to get away. My dad.. has a lot of expectations about how I should live my life." She closed her mouth quickly, wondering why the information seemed to be flying out of her unbidden. "Sorry, I didn't mean to babble."

Chloe leaned forward and placed a hand on Aubrey's, making direct eye contact. "No, it's more than fine. I like hearing about you." She squeeze Aubrey's hand. "In fact, I think you should tell me more… maybe over dinner sometime?"

Aubrey blinked and drew back a little. It was such a forward statement but she found her face relaxing into a smile. Maybe she was worried for nothing. "Yes, I think I'd like that." It was all happening a little fast for her liking but she couldn't deny that she felt a stirring inside, something that told her to say yes.

"Good," Chloe said. Her smile was definitely contagious. "Maybe your cat ran away for a reason."

Aubrey laughed and moved a strand of hair back from her face. "I'm kind of glad that she did." She bit her lip and hoped. It wasn't something she was used to. Romantic entanglements had only brought her grief in the past, making her cautious, but she found that she really wanted to go on this date and who knows maybe the cats weren't the only ones who were forming strong bonds.


	7. Strength Breeds Survival

**A/N: This one contains some possibly disturbing bits and if you don't wish to read something concerning attempted violent crime towards women turn back now. I've been trying to write this prompt for awhile but it has illuded me. I guess I had to be less than blissfully happy to write it. You can thank my girlfriend (or curse her as the case may be) for going away and leaving me to my own devices.**

* * *

You never know how oblivious you are until the world smacks you in the face. Truthfully, I've never thought about my sexuality in terms of a label. I like who I like and I've been fine with that. I've been fine going along like this because it was never serious. I never dated anyone and thought, _this could be a real long term relationship._

There was a night about two years ago when my best friend, at the time, and I went to a party. She can be super uptight and rigid sometimes… okay, most of the time, and I just wanted to get her to loosen up. She's not good with change and everything about our lives was changing.

Our a capella group was completely different and kind of a disaster, we were seniors and getting ready to move on with our lives, and she was really coming to terms with the fact that she liked women in more than a part time way.

I on the other hand was still blissfully unaware of any of my deeper feelings because it's safer that way. Not acknowledging things that could hurt you and making everyone else feel comfortable before you consider yourself is just safer. I liked the way we were, but I was too blind to see that we were probably in some kind of weird pseudo relationship. That all changed the night we went to the Sigma Chi mixer.

Aubery didn't even want to go but I talked her into it. We had a routine and she hated to deviate from it. This is not to say that we aren't social people because we definitely are that. Sunday night is roommate night; we chill, we watch whatever trashy TV we are in the mood for, and we talk about our week. Why the Sigma guys decided to throw a party on a Sunday night is a mystery but they did and we hadn't gone out in a month.

Regionals were coming up and Aubrey was stressing out so hard that bags were starting to appear under her eyes and she's freaking gorgeous so this was a tragedy that needed to be stopped. I begged, cajoled, bribed, and basically forced her to get her ass up and dressed. I think in the end promising to let her organize my entire bedroom was what sold it. She used to make me keep my door closed because she couldn't stand to look in on my organized chaos. She said it gave her mental hives.

Anyway, we got ready and we looked extra hot. I had my eye on this girl that I knew was going to be there and I had a feeling that Aubrey was dressing to impress as well. Once we were on our way I think my excitement rubbed off on her. The air was electric and I could feel this vibe going between us. It felt like we were going to have a good time, like something out of the ordinary was around the corner.

This feeling of fate could not have prepared me for what was about to happen. We arrived at the party at the perfect time. Not too early but not too late because not everyone was drunk out of their minds yet. I grabbed Aubrey's hand and led her through the throng to a group of people I knew. She didn't have many friends that weren't mutual and she was generally just absorbed into the groups that I socialized with. We were never apart for much more than classes and dates, most of which I went on and while she waited at home.

Guys asked Aubrey out all the time but she just never went. The few girls that we knew that might be interested were intimidated or scared off by her intense personality. I've been asked more than a few times how we are such good friends since we are so opposite and she's a little scary to some people. I just shrug and tell them that is how we work. I've always seen us as a genius kind of balancing act.

I was talking to my friend Jenny, the girl I was hoping to get cozy with later, when I noticed it. Aubrey was looking at me funny. Kind of like she'd never seen me before. There was this element of angry disgust about her and it made me pause, my hand still resting on Jenny's arm. Aubrey gave me one last look and then walked away.

Her back disappeared through the crowd before I knew it. I excused myself and went after her but she was gone, vanished into the crush. Leaving me like that was very unusual and I knew something was wrong and that something had to do with me. Every fiber in me knew that it was just the start of something awful. I went back to Jenny because at that point I was a getting a little upset and I needed a distraction. Aubrey had been really closed off lately and I wasn't really in the mood to find her so I could apologize for some perceived slight.

An hour passed and I'd already kissed Jenny. That was a dead end because I couldn't stop thinking about Aubrey and why she had gone. My thoughts were like a speeding car on it's way to a forgone conclusion. Could she have been jealous? If she was jealous was it because of me or Jenny? Did I want her to be jealous? How did I really think of her? She was gorgeous and smart, too smart for me. That's what I thought sometimes and the one time I had said it out loud she had gotten angry at me.

She hates when I get down on myself, which is funny because she is harder on herself than anyone I have ever met. Probably because her dad is such a hard ass. He has these ridiculous standards that no one could live up to but Aubrey tries. She tries too hard. That means she ends up just being disappointed in herself and everyone else.

I left Jenny and went to look for her, coming each section of the party until I ended up outside. The guys had constructed this makeshift bar in the backyard and there were a bunch of people crowded around, talking and drinking. That's where I found her jacket, slung across a bar stool. It wasn't even folded. She always folded her clothes neatly when she took them off. It was a compulsion that she couldn't fight and I found it charming.

It worried me that she wasn't near her things. It wasn't normal for her to just walk off and leave them like this. I picked up the jacket and found her tiny purse under it. Now, I was really worried. That had her ID and a little cash in it, not to mention a small can of pepper spray that she always carried. I nudged the guy beside me, as a lifted the purse strap over my head and settled the small leather bag against my side.

"Hey, did you see the girl who left this stuff?"

He looked at me with a blank face for a moment and then grinned. HIs eyes roamed my body and it took everything I had not to punch him right in the face. He was wasting my time.

"Well?"

He laughed, the motion of it shaking his body back and forth to a troubling degree. "Yeah," he said and then reached out for my arm.

I pulled away and stepped back out of his range. "Where did she go?" He was really starting to piss me off now.

"You're hot," he commented.

Obviously, he was a wit master. "The girl… blonde, tall, blue dress… where did she go?"

His head flopped back on his neck and he looked at me through slitted eyes, giggling like a little kid. "She, ah… caught Chuck's eye and he took her to the VIP lounge." His face told me that this was not a good thing. He was a little too gleeful.

"And where the hell is that?" My fingers were clutching Aubrey's jacket and my worry was turning to panic. Chuck had a reputation. He had been accused of raping a few girls but the cases were all mysteriously dropped at the last moment, leaving the school disciplinary committee with no choice to let him go unpunished.

Barden had an honor code and each student signed a document promising to adhere to this code when they were accepted. It stated that any violations would be dealt with internally before authorities outside the school became involved. I think it just made it easier to keep the school's name out of the news and if you could just make problems disappear instead of dealing with them, all the better. It was bureaucracy at it's most nauseating.

"It's downstairs but I wouldn't go down there if I was you," he said. By now he was clinging to the bar and I could tell if it wasn't there he would have been on the ground. "Unless, you want to play too."

I rolled my eyes and took off, giving him a good shove as I went. When I made it back inside I could barely make my way through the packed living room to the kitchen where I knew I would find the basement door. By the staircase Jenny was still standing talking to a few friends and she tried to catch my attention but I plowed right by her. I didn't care anymore. Aubrey was the most important thing.

When I got to the door I turned the knob and cursed. It was locked. Of course, because it would have been too easy otherwise. When rattling the handle and twisting it hard didn't help I tried to think. There was no way I could break it down and I really didn't want to call too much attention to what I was doing so I went outside. There had to be another way in. It was an old house and they usually had a window or another entrance to the basement somewhere.

I slipped out the back door and around the side of the house, scanning the bottom near the hedge for a window or door into the basement. It was a huge brick house and had been here as long as the university had been open. When I reached the back I saw a shaft of light shining through the green and brown of the bushes. When I crouched down I found a window that latched on the other side but it was definitely old and a little fragile.

I pushed my way through the branches of the hedge to get to it. My favorite dark green dress drug through the dirt and got caught on the sticky branches but that barely registered. When my hand hit the cold glass I pushed lightly and the window gave a little. Then I could hear muffled voices from below and pushed the rest of the way through the hedge so I could try to see through the window.

It had been painted brown from the inside, making the glass opaque. I couldn't see anything until I shoved my face towards the crack that I made wider by pushing in more. Then I saw Chuck, in all his disgusting glory, standing with his back to me. Two of his frat brothers were gathered around him as he looked down at something, if he would just move I could make it out.

I didn't see Aubrey anywhere and I prayed for it not to be her that he was towering over. My instincts screamed at me and my heart sank. He laughed, the sound of it muffled by the distance between us and the solid glass in front of me. It was a dirty, nasty sort of laugh that chilled me. My body couldn't fit much closer to the wall but I crammed myself in between the brush and the brick and tested the sides of the window, trying to find a way to open it far enough to stick my head inside so I could look around.

None of the brothers were turned so that they could see me and if I could just look in long enough I hoped that I could see if Aubrey was there. Now, I shifted my weight so I could try from another angle and that's when the latch gave and without ceremony I fell right through the open window and half onto a couch below. The lower part of my body landed on the floor and I thanked god that I was in good shape because I sprang up and looked around, trying to decide what kind of situation I had tumbled into.

Chuck and his brothers turned around and stared, slack jawed at my entrance. None of them seemed to be able to grasp what had happened. I figured that the enormous amount of alcohol they had consumed made them slower to take it all in. Since Chuck was turned to me I could see beyond him to the ratty futon that was laying flat. Right in the middle of the mattress was my best friend. I clenched my fists when I noticed that her dress was pushed up and her underwear were pulled down. Chuck's pants were unbuttoned and hanging open but he hadn't gotten any farther.

"Get the fuck away from her," I screamed.

He jumped, his body waking from being caught almost violating another girl. I ran towards them, with no real plan other than to get to Aubrey and cover her up. I knew there was no way I could defend myself against all three of them but maybe if I made enough noise someone would notice and help us. It wasn't likely with the music playing upstairs and the lateness of the hour. No one was going to hear me, I decided.

When I reached Aubrey I felt a strange wetness running down my face. She looked so innocent passed out like that, just like I had seen her millions of times when I was too tired to go to my own bed after a movie marathon. Sleeping beside her gave me such a safe feeling. When my eyes went from her face to the odd angle of her legs, spread out like a posed doll, a growl rose from my throat and a tear dropped off my cheek to land on her leg.

How dare these boys think that they could take this from her. I quickly pulled her panties up and arranged her dress.

"Aubrey, wake up. Please, honey… just wake up." I made my way around the side of the futon to her head and put a hand on her face. Her head rolled to the side but she didn't stir. I looked up, meeting Chuck's eyes. "What the fuck did you do to her?"

He looked back at me, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes, like he was getting off on this. The taunting curve to his lip made me sick and furious at the same time. I didn't know whether I would throw up or scream, maybe both. This was the only time I thought projectile vomiting would be useful.

"I just gave her something to make her more accommodating."

He slurred the last word and leered at me, his eyes trailing from my face back to her body. When he looked up again, I could see the gross desire in them. He had just become more interested than afraid of being caught. He looked at each of the guys and then back at me. I knew that if I was going to get out of this in one piece, I was going to have to think of something quick.

I took my hand away from Aubrey's face and it brushed the rounded edge of something soft. Aubrey's purse, I vaguely remembered slipping it on when I discovered it there under her jacket. Then I remembered the pepper spray that was inside and the panic subsided ever so slightly. I began to form a plan, one that would make Aubrey proud. I walked around the end of the futon until I was as far away from Chuck and the other guys as I could possibly be. My hand rested on the purse and I kept it there, right outside the opening, waiting for my moment.

Chuck advanced on me and the other brothers took the hint. One came around the opposite side while the other followed Chuck. I slipped my hand into the purse and fiddled with the handle of the pepper spray can. I had to time this right to surprise them all. Once Chuck was in range and the guy behind him fanned out farther to the left, I lifted my hand out of the bag and aimed.

The spray hit its mark and the liquid went straight into Chuck's face. He immediately doubled over and started yelling. That's when I switched and sprayed at his friend. The last frat douche came up on my right and hand his hand around my left arm when I turned and got him directly in his open eyes. He tilted forward and I could feel the heat of his breath and the saliva as it flew from his mouth and onto my face.

He covered his eyes with his hands and staggered away. I wiped my face with the back of my hand and looked down at Chuck who was now crumpled at my feet, clawing at his eyes and trying to wipe away the pepper spray with his tee shirt. While they were disabled I rushed around and settled over Aubrey. My hand flew to her face and I smacked it a few times.

Her eyes slid open groggily and I nearly shouted with relief. "Come on, Bree, we need to get the hell out of here." She blinked up at me, confused but she didn't protest when I slid her legs off the futon and put her arm around my neck. I lifted her up the best I could and was happy that she didn't weigh all that much. I supported and half dragged her towards the steps. The hardest part was pulling her up little by little and hoping that none of the guys recovered in time to get to us.

I could hear Chuck shouting and the sound of hard rubber soles on concrete reached my ears. That's when I used all of my adrenaline given strength to pull Aubrey up the last few steps and to the door. I flung back the dead bolt and turned the knob with a quick motion. Aubrey supported both of us the best that she could while I pushed the door open. We kind of fell into the kitchen, right into the legs of the other party goers.

I looked up and smacked the leg of the nearest person. "Can you help us?" He stared down at me, bewildered but bend down and offered his hand anyway. "Thanks," I said as he helped pull me up. I turned and pulled on Aubrey's arm, waiting until the guy went around the other side of her to help me.

When we were both on our feet, I reached for the phone on the wall and dialed 911. The cops got there in five minutes and I made sure that it was the Atlanta police that I talked to not the campus cops. I was tired of the hypocrisy and I was not going to let these assholes get away with what they did to Aubrey or had almost done. I couldn't be sure how far things had really gone.

They took Aubrey to the hospital and I got to ride in the ambulance but when we got there I had to stop at the big double doors even though it felt like my heart went right through them and along with her to the back. That's when all of the life and energy drained from my body and I felt so heavy and dark. I couldn't imagine staying awake but I had to. I wouldn't rest until I knew she was okay.

An hour later someone shook me on the shoulder. I was staring at the TV in the waiting room, completely dazed. It was a nurse who came to tell me that I could go back now. My first thought when I saw her was that she looked peaceful again. Her face was blank and I could see an IV dripping away beside her. After her dad got there the doctors told us that her blood tests had come back positive for GHB.

My mind went back to times when we, as freshman girls, had been warned about date rape drugs and to be cautious about accepting drinks from others. I swallowed hard. I knew something had been wrong with her, whether it be just alcohol or something more. She had been drugged. Tears started to cloud my vision and I wrapped my arms around my torso. I felt so cold and so alone.

It took two days for her to recover enough to talk. When she woke up that morning I was laying with my head on the bed, my cheek resting on her hand. Something roused me from my deep sleep. It was her other hand on top of my head. She was stroking my hair.

My eyes shot open and I looked up. I was sure my face must look terrible. Little sleep, no food, and barely more than a quick shower was all I had managed thus far. Her hand fell away and I looked down at the one I had been resting on until she raised it and cupped my cheek.

"Thank you," she rasped, her voice not having been used in days.

My hand flew to hers as if to stop the words. I didn't deserve gratitude. If I had stuck by her side none of this would have happened. "I'm sorry," I muttered. I bit my lip and looked into her cloudy green eyes. She still wasn't quite all there.

"Why are you sorry?" She turned her hand and gripped mine, bringing them both down to the bed. "You saved me." She stopped speaking just long enough to take in a long breath. "I remember most of what happened after I passed out and part of what happened before." She gripped my hand hard and I looked up again. "You were brave and quick. If you hadn't gotten there… you saved me." She said the last part with even more emphasis.

I shook my head and dropped my eyes in shame. "If I had looked harder for you after you left none of this would have happened." I couldn't make myself look away from our joined hands. My happiness that she was okay was my only solace. They hadn't raped her. I had gotten there in time to prevent that but they had violated her with everything that came before and I would never forgive myself for not being there for her.

Her voice was stronger now, almost like she was critiquing my choreography or singing. My smile was small but it was there. My Aubrey was still intact. My Aubrey, that's what she was and I had been getting more comfortable with the idea. The feelings I had for her were more than I had let myself believe they were. I loved her, not just as a friend, but as something more than that.

"Are you kidding me?" She didn't actually expect an answer. "If I hadn't gotten jealous and run away like a child those… assholes wouldn't have been able to do this to me." The bitter bite to her words cut me but I hated that she blamed herself. It wasn't her fault it was theirs and I still felt like some of it was mine to bear.

"You saved me and I'll always be thankful." She released my hand and placed hers under my chin, raising it up. "When you were flirting with Jenny I got so angry, at myself and at you. It was just one more time that you didn't see me instead of someone else."

She leaned back until her head rested on the pillow again. "I could have just told you how I felt but I'm an idiot and I didn't want to ruin things, even though I did anyway."

I sat up straighter and reached out for her. "Ruin things? You didn't, I had no idea and I was the stupid one. You were the one all the time, right there in front of me. No one else was ever good enough and no one made me feel safe, like it could last. I was never comfortable with anyone else."

I couldn't go on because the words were beyond me. I couldn't say I love you yet. It was probably too soon and I knew if I went on that it would come out. My mouth was just too fast for my mind. Need to take this process at her pace outweighed my desire to get everything off my chest.

"Chloe, I've watched you date all these different people and I knew that you weren't ready. I wasn't even sure that you liked me that way but I was going to tell you how I felt someday and see if maybe we could be something. You're the only one I ever wanted. That's why I never really dated anyone else and even when I did I always watched you to see how you reacted."

It was a lot of information for us both and it was sad that the catalyst for our revelations was such a terrible cost.

"I'm okay," she said, catching on to my melancholy thoughts.

She was reading my mind again. I wanted her to be right but I knew that she couldn't be totally okay yet. "What happened," I asked. I wanted to know but at the same time I didn't want to put her through it all again. "If you can talk about it, I mean."

She sighed and her lips formed a grim line. "I was upset because I knew that Jenny liked you back." She paused to look into my eyes. "She told me as much after class last week. I just felt like this was going to be different because I knew how infatuated you were with her. I guess I was just tired of waiting so I got angry and I ran away."

I raised out of the chair and sat on the bed. I needed to be closer to her when she told the next part. Her fingers joined with mine.

"I got outside to the bar and the guys started making me drinks. I knew better than to take them but I was just so angry and sad and I wanted to not think anymore, to not feel so hurt. So, I drank them. Next thing I knew I was feeling weird, like I had drank a whole bottle of cough medicine with a vodka chaser." Her eyes squeezed shut. "It was the worst feeling ever. I had no control of my body and I couldn't manage to even yell."

I held my breath and waited for the next words and I knew my heart was going to seize and stop if I wasn't careful. Things had come so close to being so much worse than they turned out. If I hadn't gotten there in time I might have fallen in on Chuck in the middle. That thought stopped me cold again.

"I was just so sleepy and I tried to stay awake but they were pulling me away from the bar and into the house. I was stumbling around and I think they picked me up. I just remember feeling weightless and then there were stairs and something rough and fabricy."

She stopped again and I opened my eyes. This was the hard part and for her sake I was going to look her in the eye when she told it. She needed me to help her finish.

"Chucks hands were all over me and I tried to push him away but he was too strong and I was so out of it. He pushed my dress up and started to pull my underwear down. That's when I passed out."

I was breathing now. The air sounded like a hiss as it flew through my clenched teeth.

"Chloe," her voice was soft and it calmed me. Just a little, enough to snap me back to the present. I let my head fall to the bed.

"You saved me," she said again but I couldn't think about it that way. I could only register what I hadn't done not what I managed to accomplish.

"Don't cry," she said and tried to pull me up to her. "I love you," she whispered.

I shuttered and threw myself into her body, my arms reaching around her to cling as if she would disappear. She met me, her body open to mine, her nose warm in the hollow of my neck. "I… I love you too." I whispered back even quieter but I knew she heard because her arms tightened around me. Maybe we were both ready now.

It was a beginning born of near tragedy but when we went to court we were strong and together. I testified first and so I watched when she went, sitting right beside her parents. Her eyes found mine before and after. I drew strength from hers. She was amazing and even when the defense attorney tried to catch her up, she remained steadfast and got through it.

The conviction was satisfying but the smug look on Chuck's face when he was sentenced to time served and two years probation. It was infuriating and no one was angrier than Aubrey. She railed for hours afterward, ranting on and on about the judge and how this proved that the justice system was a political circus.

We are together. That is the important part. Fear of loss is one of the greatest motivators and I found that this fear was far greater than any fear of commitment that I had. Being with Aubrey is the best thing that ever happened to me. We are good for each other, even her very conservative dad sees that. This is why I am going to ask her to take the next step with me. Well, as soon as I can work up the courage.

That's a story for another day. Right now, I just want to enjoy the life we have and only use this memory as a way to remind myself that we come from a place of strength. That is what we took away from this and why we continue to help victims of violent crime through the non-profit Aubrey set up while she was attending law school.

You see, making a positive out of a negative is the Posen way and since I'm now part of the family I am happy to live up to that standard. Just as long as we take a little time to appreciate what life has given us, I think we will be okay.


End file.
